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CNN settles with Navy veteran upon $5 million defamation verdict
The Washington Times ^ | Saturday, January 18, 2025 | Alex Miller

Posted on 01/18/2025 12:34:53 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

CNN settled a lawsuit from a U.S. Navy veteran after a jury found the network guilty of defamation, putting the network on the hook for $5 million. 

Details of the settlement weren’t made public on Friday and came just hours after a Florida jury sided with Zachary Young, the veteran who brought the lawsuit for a segment that CNN ran on “The Lead With Jake Tapper.” 

The story at the center of the lawsuit was about people paid to rescue endangered Afghans following the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021.

Mr. Young blamed CNN for destroying his business when it ran the story with his face on-screen that depicted a “black market” smuggling Afghans out of their country for exorbitant fees.

Mr. Young sued CNN in 2022 and blamed the network for ruining his reputation.

He contended that his business targeted people who could pay to help Afghans get out of the country and didn’t go after individual Afghans with charges as much as $10,000 for the service. 

“I know Zach feels heard in a way that he hasn’t felt for over three years,” Devin Freedman, Mr. Young’s lawyer, said after the verdict.

CNN agreed it was wrong to use the phrase “black market,” but argued its reporting on Mr. Young was accurate. 

“We remain proud of our journalists and are 100% committed to strong, fearless and fair-minded reporting at CNN, though we will of course take what useful lessons we can from this case,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption
KEYWORDS: afghanis; afghanistan; zacharyyoung
A good start.
1 posted on 01/18/2025 12:34:53 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

$5 mil was just his economic damage. We hadn’t even gotten to punitive damages which the jury awarded also. You can bet it was some multiple of that $5 mil. Figure CNN just coughed up $10-15 mil at bare minimum.


2 posted on 01/18/2025 12:37:34 PM PST by FLT-bird
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why not 148 million?


3 posted on 01/18/2025 12:42:28 PM PST by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Article:

“fearless and fair-minded reporting at CNN”

They are still lying.

We need a class action lawsuit against them for a trillion dollars.


4 posted on 01/18/2025 12:45:54 PM PST by cgbg (It is time to pull the Deep State out of the mass media--like ticks from a dog.)
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To: FLT-bird

I think you’re about right. At least another 5. Having the losing party wave appeal is big. Almost certainly the judgment would have been affirmed, but it could have taken a long time to get there


5 posted on 01/18/2025 12:51:24 PM PST by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Will CNN start referring to itself as a “convicted defamer”?

They should.


6 posted on 01/18/2025 12:55:54 PM PST by jeffersondem
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If CNN has settled, it wouldn’t have gone to court where they lost, were found guilty and ordered to pay.


7 posted on 01/18/2025 12:59:41 PM PST by GMMC0987
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To: FLT-bird

“Figure CNN just coughed up $10-15 mil at bare minimum.”

CNN settled for an undisclosed amount in punitive damages. I would bet it was well over 25 million. The jury hated CNN.


8 posted on 01/18/2025 1:02:21 PM PST by BushCountry (A properly cast vote (1 day voting) can save you $2.00 a gallon.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

My understanding is that punitive damages still need to be assessed. Could go a bunch higher than 5 mil.


9 posted on 01/18/2025 1:16:04 PM PST by traderrob6
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To: FLT-bird

“$5 mil was just his economic damage. We hadn’t even gotten to punitive damages which the jury awarded also. You can bet it was some multiple of that $5 mil. Figure CNN just coughed up $10-15 mil at bare minimum.”
____________________________________________________________

It’s a settlement agreement. There won’t be any punitive damages.


10 posted on 01/18/2025 1:17:23 PM PST by Bob Wills is still the king (Just a Texas Playboy at heart!)
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To: Bob Wills is still the king
It’s a settlement agreement. There won’t be any punitive damages.

Yes but there were going to be punitive damages. So for him to agree to a settlement, they must have coughed up some multiple of that $5 mil he had already been awarded. Otherwise, he had no incentive to settle.

11 posted on 01/18/2025 1:24:23 PM PST by FLT-bird
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To: FLT-bird

See my No. 5. The other side waiving a lengthy appeal is a big chip. I think these damages are going to be taxable. So maybe $15M, just in rough terms 50% in taxes, $2.5 for the lawyers, and the guy walks with 5 after taxes. That sounds about right


12 posted on 01/18/2025 1:47:46 PM PST by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: j.havenfarm

Lawyers get 40 percent.


13 posted on 01/18/2025 3:51:08 PM PST by maro (MAGA!)
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To: BushCountry

“ CNN settled for an undisclosed amount in punitive damages. I would bet it was well over 25 million. The jury hated CNN.”
********************************************

If I was on the jury I would have insisted upon $45-$47million for its symbolic value.


14 posted on 01/18/2025 6:19:00 PM PST by House Atreides (I’m now ULTRA-MAGA-PRO-MAX)
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To: maro

Been a lawyer for 32 years. It’s negotiable. One third is most common in CA


15 posted on 01/18/2025 6:58:47 PM PST by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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