Navy

Florida Jury Condemns CNN for Defamation, Awards Navy Vet $5 Million in Damages Over Mischaracterized Afghanistan Rescue Efforts

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Panama City, Florida – A Florida jury awarded $5 million in damages to a U.S. Navy veteran on Friday, concluding that CNN had defamed him in a 2021 report focused on individuals involved in efforts to evacuate endangered Afghans after the Taliban’s ascension to power in Afghanistan. The case, which centered on the depiction of the veteran, Zachary Young, involved allegations that CNN’s coverage unfairly branded him as part of a “black market” operation charging high fees to extract Afghans from the country. Young asserted that his business was oriented toward finding sponsors to help … Read more

Navy Veteran Wins Defamation Case Against CNN Following Settlement Agreement

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PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A Florida jury has ruled that CNN defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, leading to a significant financial settlement. After deliberating for over eight hours, the six-person jury determined that CNN was liable for punitive damages due to misrepresentative reporting on Young’s efforts to help Afghan refugees during the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The detailed allegations against CNN centered on a November 2021 news segment suggesting that Young had profited illegally from coordinating evacuations out of Afghanistan. The jury granted Young $4 million for lost earnings and $1 million … Read more

CNN Settles for $5 Million After Jury Finds Network Defamed Navy Veteran Amid Chaotic Afghan Evacuations

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Tampa, FL — A Florida jury has found CNN guilty of defaming security consultant Zachary Young, a Navy veteran, leading to a rapid settlement by the news network hours after Young was awarded $5 million in damages. The case revolved around a CNN report aired in 2021 discussing the chaotic evacuation of Afghans during the U.S.’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Judge William Henry declared the settlement during the trial’s second phase, which aimed to determine the amount of punitive damages CNN might face. Details of the settlement have not been disclosed. The case spotlighted the … Read more

CNN Settles After Jury Verdict Finds Network Defamed Heroic Navy Veteran in Afghan Rescue Story

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Panama City, Florida — In a significant legal setback for CNN, a Florida jury recently ruled in favor of Zachary Young, a U.S. Navy veteran who accused the network of defamation. Following a trial lasting under two weeks in Panama City, Young was awarded $5 million in compensatory damages after more than eight hours of jury deliberation. The case escalated tensions between media outlets and high-profile defamation challenges during a politically charged era. Young’s lawsuit stemmed from a 2021 broadcast on CNN, where he was depicted in connection with what was termed a “black market” … Read more