Plaintiff had accused CNN of his destroying his reputation by branding him a profiteer who exploited desperate Afghans.A Florida jury has found TV news provider CNN liable for defaming a United States Navy veteran who helped evacuate people from Afghanistan after the US military withdrew from the country in 2021.
The six-person jury said on Friday that CNN had to pay damages totalling $5m. There will be a second phase of the trial to determine any punitive damages. The verdict followed a two-week trial in Panama City, Florida, state court.
A CNN representative said the network would not comment until the jury decided punitive damages.
Plaintiff Zachary Young sued CNN in 2022, accusing the Warner Bros Discovery unit of destroying his reputation in a segment on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” by branding him as a profiteer who exploited desperate Afghans by charging exorbitant fees.
CNN stood by its story and denied defaming Young, though the network said in March 2022 that it regretted using the term “black market” to describe Young’s work.
The case stems from Young’s work as a security consultant helping corporations and charities extract people from Afghanistan after the Taliban swiftly took back control following the chaotic US withdrawal. Advertisement
In a segment on The Lead, CNN said “desperate Afghans” trying to escape the country were being “exploited” with “exorb …
