CNN Found Liable of DEFAMATION Against Navy Veteran, Must Pay Out Millions

Excellent. The detestable news media must pay a price for defaming good people. More need to follow Zachery Young.

Shortly after a Florida jury found that CNN had defamed Navy veteran Zachary Young and awarded Young $5 million in damages on Friday, the network was dealt a second blow as its revenue losses were publicly revealed on the witness stand.

CNN’s finances that Axelrod referred to earlier based on 2023 tax documents given to Plaintiff. pic.twitter.com/WZBnwYQMNy

— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) January 17, 2025

After the verdict was reached, the trial moved into its second phase, during which the jury will decide how much more money, in punitive damages, CNN owes Young.

In that second phase, Young’s team called forensic economist Robert W. Johnson to the stand to act as an expert witness in determining what the punitive damages should be. Under direct examination from Young’s lawyers, Johnson dissected tax documents given to the plaintiff and explained that CNN had brought in approximately $2.2 billion in revenue in 2021, $2.0 billion in revenue in 2022, and 1.8% billion in 2023. (Mediaite)

That represents a $400 million or 18% drop over three years.

NEW: CNN found liable for $5 million in defamation trial against a United States Navy veteran.

Zachary Young said CNN defamed him as an “illegal profiteer” when they said he charged Afghan evacuees thousands of dollars to leave the country.

The report was first shared on Jake… pic.twitter.com/B0dTZAorxV

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 17, 2025

Jury finds CNN committed defamation against Navy veteran, settlement reached on punitive damages

Zachary Young hopes CNN, other news outlets will ‘learn something from this experience’

By Fox News, January 17th, 2025

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young is celebrating the “vindication” he received after a jury found that CNN had defamed him, concluding the intense two-week court battle.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Young told Fox News Digital in an interview. “Feeling very, very, very good.”

After more than eight hours of deliberation, the six-person jury ruled Young was to be awarded $4 million in lost earnings, $1 million in personal damages such as pain and suffering and said that punitive damages are warranted against CNN. But as the second phase of the trial was underway, lawyers for both Young and CNN told 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry they had reached a settlement.