A Florida jury found CNN liable Friday for defaming a Navy vet who assisted multiple people in escaping Afghanistan after the 2021 American withdrawal.
Zachary Young filed a $1 billion suit against the network on June 12 over a November 2021 segment by reporter Alex Marquardt that aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” that portrayed his evacuation efforts as exploiting Afghans. The jury awarded Young $4 million in damages for lost income and $1 million for emotional distress.
Jury found Young is owed $4 million in financial damages and $1 million in emotional damages by CNN.
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) January 17, 2025
Judge William A. Henry ruled in October that Young “did not act illegally or criminally” during his efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan, Fox News reported.
The trial started Jan. 6, with attorneys for Young telling a jury in Bay County, Florida, that the network “confirm any of the facts” in their November 2021 report, describing the disparaging terms used by CNN employees towards Young, according to Fox News.
The jury began hearing evidence and receiving instructions on the punitive damages phase of the trial Friday.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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