Jury finds CNN liable for defaming security consultant Zachary Young, to pay $5 million:
Deliberations concluded Friday in a high-profile defamation lawsuit against CNN, with the jury finding the network guilty of defaming Navy veteran Zachary Young. The jury awarded Young $4 million in financial damages and $1 million in emotional damages.
The case centered on CNN’s 2021 coverage of Young’s efforts to assist Afghans fleeing the Taliban during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The court found CNN’s reporting exhibited “actual malice” and “outrageous conduct,” enabling Young to seek substantial damages.
Young claimed CNN, led by anchor Jake Tapper and correspondent Alex Marquardt, falsely accused him of running a “black market” operation that exploited desperate Afghans for personal profit. The network’s portrayal, Young argued, severely damaged his reputation and his security consulting business.
One key point of contention was Tapper’s sarcastic emphasis on Young’s use of the word “unfortunately” in a message to the network.
Tapper implied that Young was profiting from the limited availability of evacuation options, which Young contended was a deliberate misrepresentation of his efforts to help people in a dire humanitarian crisis.
In its earlier ruling, the court pointed to internal CNN communications that demonstrated concerns about the accuracy and completeness of the reporting.
Messages revealed that CNN staff privately referred to the story as “a mess,” “incomplete,” and “full of holes like Swiss cheese.”
Despite Young warning Marquardt about factual inaccuracies just hours before publication, CNN proceeded to publish the report.
The court also noted private exchanges among CNN staff that included profane language and disparaging remarks about Young, underscoring a lack of regard for him.
During closing arguments, Young’s attorney, Kyle Roche, explained that the next phase would determine punitive damages based on CNN’s financial worth. He emphasized that the jury’s decision would signal accountability for the network.
“You will get to decide how much CNN should pay,” Roche told the jury.
Young, a Navy veteran, was instrumental in efforts to evacuate Afghans during President Biden’s widely criticized withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The evacuation was marked by chaos, with many left behind in perilous circumstances. Young alleged that CNN’s portrayal not only misrepresented his work but also caused irreparable harm to his business and personal reputation.
The lawsuit and resulting verdict highlight ongoing tensions between media outlets and public figures over the responsibility to ensure accurate reporting.
Critics of CNN argue the case is a wake-up call for journalistic standards, particularly when covering sensitive or high-stakes events.
As the punitive damages phase unfolds, the case serves as a landmark example of how defamation claims can lead to significant financial consequences for media organizations accused of reckless reporting.