Jury finds CNN committed defamation against Navy veteran, settlement reached on punitive damages
Navy veteran and CNN reach settlement on punitive damages after jury ruled against network
Brian Flood By Brian Flood , Joseph A. Wulfsohn Fox News
Published January 17, 2025 12:26pm EST
Navy veteran Zachary Young is accusing the network of defaming him after showing his face on-air while talking about the black market smuggling Afghans out the country for thousands of dollars.
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A jury found that CNN committed defamation against U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young and is responsible for punitive damages on Friday after more than eight hours of deliberation.
The six-person jury ruled Young was 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.
As the jury was gearing up to determine punitive damages, 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry announced that Young and CNN reached a settlement for the amount that would be awarded to the Navy veteran.
The settlement amount was not disclosed. The settlement announcement came after an expert witness suggested $150 million was a fair amount to punish CNN.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/jury-finds-that-cnn-committed-defamation-against-navy-veteran-awards-punitive-damages
