CNN/Afghanistan defamation suit

The liberal media love to portray themselves as the sole gatekeepers of truth and facts; and when they get called out for getting things wrong, they get very testy and indignant. The Associated Press flashed that attitude in a letter to Navy veteran Zachary Young, and in recent comments about the defamation suit against them (after they falsely claimed Young was engaged in “human smuggling” in…

As NewsBusters was first to report, on Friday, Navy veteran Zachary Young had filed a lawsuit against The Associated Press for defamation after they falsely described his Afghanistan evacuation efforts as “human smuggling,” a term the AP Stylebook said was reserved for illegal activity. Over the weekend, U.S. News and World Report retracted their republication of the offending AP…

In a Friday filing with Florida’s 14^th Judicial Circuit in Bay County, Navy veteran Zachary Young filed a defamation suit against the Associated Press for making similar claims against him which led to CNN being found liable for malicious defamation. The complaint pointed out that the AP used similar rhetoric against Young that they used for criminal conduct and that they refused to…

After successfully winning a consequential defamation suit against CNN in January, Navy veteran Zachary Young had media-industry publication Puck News in his sights. According to a complaint filed in Bay County, Florida’s 14^th Judicial Circuit on Friday, and exclusively obtained by NewsBusters, Young was accusing left-leaning Puck News, via the reporting of “entertainment law expert…

For the first time on CNN since the ruling came out in January, CNN viewers finally got an inkling of the fact that the network was found liable for malicious defamation of Navy veteran Zachary Young. No, it wasn’t because the network finally decided to be open an honest with their viewers; it was because Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins demanded answers on behalf of “one of my veterans…

Largely lost in the coverage of witness testimony, breaking news of the liability verdict against CNN, and the subsequent settlement on punitive damages, was how CNN’s lead counsel David Axelrod (not to be confused with the CNN commentator of the same name) had repeatedly lied to Judge William Scott Henry and was dressed down in front of the court and streamed around the world because of it.…

A jury in Panama City, Florida found CNN guilty of defamation in the case of Zachary Young, who worked to rescue people from Afghanistan after America withdrew. CNN must pay $5 million in damages (not counting punitive damages). Associate Editor Nick Fondacaro has been in the courtroom to explain it all. 

Panama City, FL – The defamation case brought by Navy veteran Zachary Young has left CNN permanently marked as “fake news” after his victory in court on Friday. As NewsBusters previously reported, the jury of six found CNN did defame Young, that they did it with malice, and they should be punished for it. The ruling spurred CNN to seek an undisclosed settlement. And in the…

Panama City, FL – On Friday, a jury of six in Florida’s 14th Circuit Court in Bay County has found CNN liable for the defamation of Navy veteran Zachary Young and that he was entitled economic and emotional damages, a ruling that proved CNN was not worthy of their moniker “the most trusted name in news.” They also found that CNN’s reporters had demonstrated expressed malice,…

The six-person jury for the $1 billion defamation suit against CNN heard closing arguments on Thursday and started their deliberations. Both parties urged the jury to use their “common sense” to see them through deliberations and secure them the legal victory. But it was the argument of Vel Freedman, the lead counsel for Navy veteran and Plaintiff Zachary Young, who called on the jury, “Your…

Something unique about the Florida judicial system is, baring objection of counsels and the court, jurors get to ask questions of the witnesses. These questions could be used as possible insight into a jury’s temperament and possible mindset as a trial unfolds. In the case of the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN, the tea leaves seemed to indicate on Wedndesday that they weren’t looking…

In lieu of adding more in-person witnesses to a trial with a hard deadline, Tuesday’s proceedings in the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN featured the sworn deposition videos of five CNN employees who had their fingerprints on the offending report. One of the more eyebrow-raising testimonies of the bunch came from CNN anchor Jake Tapper who’s show - The Lead - the report…

Week Two of the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN kicked off Monday with the testimony of CNN chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, the architect of the allegedly defamatory report. The key moments from this time on the witness stand were when he refused to apologize to Navy veteran and Plaintiff Zachary Young, doubled down on the false assertions that Young was…

In addition to CNN’s defamation lawyer smearing a decorated two-star general in open court during Friday’s proceedings, it was the first time someone from CNN was called to testify in the $1 billion defamation trial against the network. Senior editor and fact-checker Fuzz Hogan was on the witness stand where he was belligerent with plaintiff’s counsel, oozed arrogance, defended CNN’s editorial…