Jury undecided in CNN defamation trial as deliberations continue into second day.

The jury is still undecided in the high-stakes defamation lawsuit against CNN, and deliberations will continue until Friday morning in Panama City, Florida.

Zachary Young, a U.S. Navy veteran, claimed that CNN defamed him by suggesting he illegally profited from helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's withdrawal in 2021. Young believes that CNN damaged his reputation and business by branding him an illegal profiteer who exploited desperate Afghans in a November 11, 2021, segment on "The Lead with Jake Tapper."

Judge William S. Henry, presiding over the trial in Bay County, Florida, had previously negotiated with the jury twice to continue working longer into Thursday evening after the jury had requested to return Friday morning. The jury was provided pizza after one of them said they were getting "hangry and tired." They were dismissed at 9:18 p.m. CT.

The trial will resume at 8:15 a.m. CT on Friday.

Despite what the network reported on air, the court previously ruled that Young "did not act illegally or criminally." After three-plus years of litigation and an eight-day trial, the trial is now set to begin.

Tapper announced on CNN that desperate Afghans are still trying to flee the country, but are being targeted by individuals who demand exorbitant payments to allow them to escape.

In the upcoming segment of the show, Tapper will discuss the plight of "desperate Afghans" who are being "preyed upon."

Tapper stated that Marquardt discovered that Afghans attempting to leave the country encounter a black market filled with false promises, excessive fees, and no assurance of safety or achievement.

Marquardt stated that desperate Afghans are being exploited and need to pay exorbitant, often impossible amounts to flee the country.

Marquardt highlighted Young, displaying his photo on the screen and stating that his company required $75,000 to transport a group of passengers to Pakistan or $14,500 per individual to reach the United Arab Emirates.

Marquardt informed viewers that prices were unaffordable for most Afghans.

CNN reported that Marquardt allegedly tried to contact Young, but Young did not respond to the call.

"According to Marquardt, Young informed CNN that Afghans attempting to flee are required to have sponsors cover their expenses. Additionally, Young stated that evacuation costs are subject to change based on environmental factors."

Young repeatedly declined to reveal the cost or disclose if he was earning money, before playing a clip of an anonymous sympathetic man who couldn't afford to evacuate his family from Afghanistan.

Marquardt went back to Young, saying he received another text message.

Marquardt informed viewers that in another message, Zachary Young stated, "Availability is extremely limited, and demand is high," and added, "That's how economics works, unfortunately."

Marquardt's report was thanked by Tapper, who replied, "Unfortunately, hmm."

No other people or companies were named other than Young.

The Marquardt report was repackaged for CNN's website and re-aired on Jim Acosta's show on Nov. 13, as well as multiple times on CNN International.

During the trial, every second of the segment was scrutinized, with CNN's legal team arguing that Young was not a significant part of the story and the plaintiff's team suggesting that the "black market" implication damaged Young's career as a defense contractor, citing that language as the reason for his termination in a contract he signed.

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 "shitbag" and an "a--hole," and another saying he had a "punchable face."

The trial frequently cited Marquardt's message to a colleague, which read: "We're gonna get this Zachary Young son of a bitch."

CNN never reported that Young rescued at least 22 women from Afghanistan, despite his testimony.

In court, CNN senior national security editor Thomas Lumley was questioned about his skepticism of a "pretty flawed" report, as revealed in internal messages showing he felt it was "full of holes like Swiss cheese."

On March 25, 2022, CNN issued an on-air apology during a broadcast featuring substitute anchor Pamela Brown. However, several CNN staffers who testified claimed they didn't believe the apology was necessary, and CNN vice president Adam Levine stated that the apology was only given for legal reasons.

During the trial, Judge Henry reprimanded CNNN lead counsel David Axelrod, who is not the on-air pundit with the same name, multiple times for calling Young a "liar" on air, even though evidence showed that Young did not lie about failing to earn work in his field following a CNN segment. Axelrod was forced to apologize to Young on the spot.

Despite Axelrod's assertion that a document demonstrating Young's security clearance was evidence of his ability to secure employment following the CNN segment, it was later revealed that his clearance was revoked in 2022.

On Friday, the trial will continue and will be broadcast live on Planet Chronicle Digital.