2026年8月21日 美国东部时间早上7:39 / 哥伦比亚广播公司/美联社
阿拉巴马州塔斯卡卢萨——当地时间周四，阿拉巴马州陪审团裁定《纽约时报》失实报道称前大学篮球运动员凯·斯皮尔斯出现在塔斯卡卢萨一起致命枪击案现场，构成诽谤，判决该报向斯皮尔斯支付925万美元损害赔偿费。
曾效力于阿拉巴马大学男子篮球队的凯·斯皮尔斯于2023年对《纽约时报》提起诉讼。此前该报刊发了一篇报道，援引一名不愿具名的知情人士消息，称斯皮尔斯是涉事车辆中的乘客。《纽约时报》当时表示，该消息人士“因讨论敏感事宜而要求匿名”。
几天后，《纽约时报》在编者按中承认报道有误，并对该文章进行了更正。
2024年4月，阿拉巴马红潮队的凯·斯皮尔斯在亚利桑那州格伦代尔的州立农场体育场进行训练。克里斯蒂安·彼得斯 / 盖蒂图片社
这场在美国阿拉巴马州北区联邦地区法院进行的为期九天的审判结束后，由八人组成的陪审团作出了上述裁决。斯皮尔斯的律师马特·格洛弗表示，他对判决结果感到满意，并认为“这一裁决将改善全美各地的新闻业”。
《纽约时报》发言人查理·施塔特兰德尔表示，该报正在审视其法律救济途径。
“我们对陪审团认定《纽约时报》为无心之失承担责任感到失望，”施塔特兰德尔在周四的一份声明中说道，“我们感谢陪审团的服务，但我们认为该判决及损害赔偿裁定有悖法律，且无证据支持。”
2023年1月的这起枪击案造成一名23岁母亲死亡，另有三名该校篮球运动员在场。斯皮尔斯在诉讼中称，失实报道给他造成了精神创伤，并让他永远与谋杀案绑定在一起。
哥伦比亚广播公司体育网指出，报道刊发后，斯皮尔斯在社交媒体上发文，称关于他出现在现场的报道“100%失实”。
“我只想说——《纽约时报》的报道100%不准确，该撰稿人完全无视事实真相，”斯皮尔斯说道，“我正努力消化和应对这些不知为何被发表、且被无数人看到的虚假言论。非常感谢阿拉巴马大学体育部替我驳斥了这一不实报道。
“最重要的是，我仍为当晚发生的这场悲剧性死亡感到万分心碎。”
周四一篇报道该判决结果的《纽约时报》文章称，该报“五十多年来从未在全美境内因旗下文章引发的诽谤诉讼中败诉”。
文章还提到，阿拉巴马州法律对部分案件的陪审团赔偿金额设有上限，因此本案的损害赔偿金额将被下调超过200万美元。
New York Times defamed ex-college basketball player Kai Spears, must pay him $9.25 million in damages, jury says
August 21, 2026 7:39 AM EDT / CBS/AP
Tuscaloosa, Ala. — An Alabama jury on Thursday awarded $9.25 million in damages after finding that The New York Times defamed a former college basketball player by incorrectly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa.
Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report, citing a person familiar with the investigation, that indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting. The Times reported that the person had spoken “on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.”
Days later, the Times acknowledged its error in an editor’s note and corrected the story.
Kai Spears, of the Alabama Crimson Tide, during a practice session at State Farm Stadium in April 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. Christian Petersen / Getty Images
The eight-person jury delivered its verdict after a nine-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Matt Glover, an attorney for Spears, said he was pleased with the decision and believes “this verdict will improve journalism throughout the country.”
The Times was reviewing its legal options after losing in court, spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander said.
“We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake,” Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. “We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence.”
Three other basketball players from the school were present at the January 2023 shooting, which killed a 23-year-old mother. In the lawsuit, Spears claimed the inaccurate reporting had caused him emotional distress and forever linked him with a murder.
CBSSports.com noted that, after the story appeared, Spears took to social media and called the report of his appearance at the scene “100% inaccurate.”
“I have one thing to say — the report in the New York Times was 100% inaccurate and the writer had complete disregard for the truth,” Spears said. “I am trying to process and cope with these false statements that somehow have been published and then seen by so many. So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf.
“More than anything, I remain completely heartbroken by the tragic death that occurred that night.”
A Times article reporting on the verdict Thursday said the newspaper “had not lost a defamation lawsuit brought in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.”
The article says Alabama law caps jury awards in certain cases and so the damages in this one will be adjusted downward by more than $2 million.
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