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A jury in Panama City, Florida, found that CNN committed defamation against U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young on Friday (January 17) after more than eight hours of deliberation. The case centered on a 2021 CNN segment about the evacuation of Afghans following the Taliban takeover, which implied Young was involved in a "black market" operation to smuggle Afghans out of the country for high fees. Young argued that the report damaged his reputation and business as it falsely portrayed him as an illegal profiteer.
The jury awarded Young $5 million in damages and is considering additional punitive damages. Young's lawyer, Devin Freedman, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating, "I know Zach feels heard in a way that he hasn’t felt for over three years."
CNN maintained that its reporting was accurate, although it admitted the term "black market" was inappropriate. The network argued that Young was not a significant focus of the story, but the jury disagreed, finding that the segment had a substantial negative impact on Young's career.
The trial, presided over by Judge William S. Henry, revealed internal CNN messages showing staff hostility towards Young, further supporting the defamation claim.
The trial will now move to the second phase, where the jury will determine punitive damages.