US jury awards $25mn to Oklahoma man after newspaper wrongfully identified him as racist
A jury in Oklahoma on Monday awarded a man $25 million in damages after he was erroneously named by a newspaper as a high school basketball commentator

A jury in Oklahoma on Monday awarded a man $25 million in damages after he was erroneously named by a newspaper as a high school basketball commentator who insulted athletes based on their race.
Scott Sapulpa was one of two men who provided commentary on the girls' playoff match between Midwest City High School and Norman High School in March 2021.
After the verdict, Sapulpa said he felt “numb", adding that “My kids, their last name is cleared, too", NonDoc.com reported.
In Muskogee County, Scott Sapulpa was granted $20 million in punitive damages in addition to $5 million in actual damages, The Associated Press reported.
Responding to the verdict, Sapulpa’s attorney Michael Barkett said, "We're just so happy for Scott. Hopefully this will vindicate his name."
According to Barkett, the jury determined that the newspaper had behaved with genuine malice in response to Sapulpa's allegations of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress, allowing them to consider punitive damages.