Alabama basketball staff member admits to being at deadly shooting, clears player's name amid NY Times lawsuit

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Just days after Alabama's Kai Spears filed a lawsuit against The New York Times for reporting he was at a deadly shooting with teammates, his name might be cleared.

A member of the Alabama men's basketball team staff admitted to the outlet that he, not Spears, was there.

"I can confirm that I was the passenger in Brandon Miller’s car at the time of the shooting," Cooper Lee, 21, wrote in an email to the Times.

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A basketball with the Alabama logo displayed during a game at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Jan. 14, 2023. (Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The lawsuit also says Lee was the passenger in Brandon Miller's car the morning of Jan. 15.

An earlier report said Spears was at the site of the fatal shooting with teammates Miller, Darius Miles and Jaden Bradley. Michael Davis allegedly fired the shot that killed 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

"I was not anywhere near the scene or vicinity at the time that took place," Spears told The Washington Post, which reported about the lawsuit Wednesday. "I don’t think it is a mistaken identity. I just think they didn’t do their due diligence."

Alabama guard Kai Spears protests a foul call against the Crimson Tide during a game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., Feb. 15, 2023. (Kns Vols Bama Hoops)

With the new information regarding the shooting, the Times says it will "correct its coverage."

"We have a longstanding policy of correcting errors," Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha said in a statement. "Based on information in the affidavit and new reporting by our newsroom, we