CNN has been found liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by a Navy veteran who used his private business to evacuate people from Afghanistan after the Taliban had taken control of the nation.
A six-member jury in Bay County, Florida, found the network was liable for defamation because of a segment that aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” where reporter Alex Marquardt painted Zachary Young, the Navy vet CEO, as an “illegal profiteer” who was exploiting “desperate Afghans” with “exorbitant” fees, Law & Crime reported.
“Young maintained CNN’s broadcast effectively tarred him as a scofflaw and ruined his business, making it nearly impossible for him to work because of the severe damage to his reputation that ensued,” the report said.
“Jurors agreed. On the first count, defamation per se, the jury ruled in Young’s favor. On the second count of defamation by implication, the Sunshine State residents also ruled for Young,” it said.
The jury awarded the veteran a total of $5 million — $4 million for lost employment and additional punitive damages of $1 million for pain and suffering.
The attorney for the plaintiff, Devin “Vel” Freedman, said that between 1.6 million and 2.7 people watched the “hit piece,” which he described as Marquardt engaging in “theater.”
“Did you see his face when that happened?” Freedman told the jury during closing arguments. “The veneer shattered. He was a liar. He was engaging in theater. He was caught in it. He lied about it. He was caught in it again. CNN knew the story wasn’t true. They knew they had no facts to support it — but they hated Zach — so they orchestrated theater. They set him up, and they took him down.”
However, the attorney said that the correction from CNN was viewed by far less of an audience.
“The correction was seen by 942,000 people,” said Freedman. “But let’s be honest, the correction didn’t do anything. Doesn’t matter. The man can’t get hired. It doesn’t matter how many people saw it. They issued a correction because they were trying to get out of a lawsuit.”
CNN attorney David Axelrod — not the same former Obama official David Axelrod who is a network contributor — attempted to convince the jury that the network did not defame the veteran.
“When I started, or when I opened, I should say, I was going to tell you that CNN’s reporting was accurate: tough but fair,” Axelrod argued. “And I’m going to tell you that all day long. Sometimes, stories get told. And they’re true. But they’re tough. Right? They’re tough because they tell the truth about someone — about what someone’s doing. And, obviously, that person doesn’t want to be talked about. But it happens.”
However, the plaintiff’s attorney swiftly dismissed that argument.
“Accidents happen, but this? This was no accident,” Freedman told the jury. “CNN’s malice and willful desire to harm Zach is documented by their reporters. Think about that for a second. This organization is arrogant, they respect the American people so little, that they don’t even hesitate — documenting and documenting their malicious intent. Hold me to my burden because we have the receipts.
“Hold me to my burden because the world is watching what you all are going do today. Hold me to my burden because your verdict will stand in history as everyday Americans from the great state of Florida, from Bay County, stood up to fake news. Stood up to lies. Stood up to corporate greed. And shifted American media back toward normalcy,” Young’s attorney continued.
It took the jury nearly eight and a half hours to decide. Jurors also decided that CNN should be hit with punitive damages, but before they could decide on a sum, they were informed by Circuit Court Judge William Henry that the parties in the case had reached an agreement on the damages.