Courtroom drama ends with 'vindication' for CNN plaintiff: 'I'm glad it's over'

After a two-week court battle, a jury found that CNN had defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, resulting in his "vindication."

"Young expressed relief in an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, stating, "I'm glad it's over. I'm feeling very, very, very good.""

The jury awarded Young $4 million in lost earnings and $1 million in personal damages after deliberating for over eight hours. However, during the second phase of the trial, both Young's and CNN's lawyers reached a settlement.

After three long years, achieving the desired outcome of public vindication is an incredible feeling. I'm relieved that it's over and we won't have to spend any more time arguing about the meaning of a word, said Young.

An expert witness suggested $150 million as a fair punishment for CNN, and the settlement amount was not disclosed.

After a long legal battle with CNN, Young states that he has no animosity towards Planet Chronicle Digital.

"I believe this outcome was beneficial for both of us," Young stated. "Now, I can move forward with my life and had not been able to envision what that would entail or how it would feel for a considerable period. Although I am still uncertain about how it will feel when everything settles, I no longer harbor any animosity towards CNN."

"He hoped that they would use this experience as a chance to reflect on themselves and recognize the need for change and improvement. He hoped that this realization would not only benefit CNN but also other media outlets."

In the defamation lawsuit against CNN, Young's lead counsel, Vel Freedman, boasted about the legal victory.

""As a lawyer, it's exactly what you want to do: clear a client's name, get a verdict, and settle so they can avoid protracted appeals and move on with their life," Freedman told Planet Chronicle Digital."

A spokesperson for CNN stated that they are proud of their journalists and committed to strong, fearless and fair-minded reporting, while also acknowledging the need to learn from the case.

During the Biden administration's military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, Young was accused by CNN of profiting illegally by helping people flee the country on the "black market." Young believed that CNN's reporting destroyed his reputation and business by branding him an illegal profiteer who exploited "desperate Afghans" in a November 2021 segment.

During the trial, Young's legal team presented damning internal messages from CNN staffers that repeatedly expressed hostility towards the Navy veteran. These messages included one staffer calling him a "s---bag" and an "a--hole," and another saying he had a "punchable face."

Alex Marquardt, the CNN correspondent who led the on-air report, was revealed to have told a colleague "we're gonna nail this Zachary Young mf---er," a message that was often cited throughout the trial.

Planet Chronicle' Brian Flood and Annie McCuen contributed to this report.