Navy veteran wins punitive damages from CNN for defamation.

A jury in Panama City, Fla., ruled that CNN defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young and ordered the network to pay punitive damages on Friday following an eight-hour deliberation.

The jury awarded $4 million in lost earnings and $1 in personal damages to Young, including pain and suffering, and determined that punitive damages against CNN were warranted.

Punitive damages will now be determined by the jury in the second phase of the trial, with each side presenting evidence.

CNN accused Young of illegally profiting from helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's military withdrawal in 2021, which he believes destroyed his reputation and business.

After three-plus years of litigation and an eight-day trial, 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry ruled that Young did not act illegally or criminally, despite what the network reported on air.

The 2021 segment at the center of the suit was teased by Tapper, who cautioned CNN viewers about the dangers of desperate Afghans being targeted by individuals demanding exorbitant payments to leave the country.

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

During the trial, Tapper's teasers were crucial as jurors requested to reevaluate them during the deliberation phase.

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.

During the trial, the phone call between Marquardt and Young became a source of disagreement, with the plaintiff arguing that Marquardt did not actually make the call to Young. However, behind-the-scenes footage showed Marquardt joking about the call being "theater" to colleagues. Despite this, Marquardt testified that he called the number he believed to be Young's and dismissed the "theater" remark as a reference to "Saturday Night Live."

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 showed hostility towards the Navy veteran. These messages included one staffer calling him a "s--tbag" 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."

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."

The witness, who broke down in tears while discussing the segment's effect on his marriage, also testified that he saved at least 22 women from Afghanistan. However, this information was never reported by CNN.

On March 25, 2022, CNN issued an on-air apology during a segment hosted by substitute anchor Pamela Brown. However, several CNN staffers who testified later said that the apology was not necessary, and Adam Levine testified that it was only issued for legal purposes.

During the trial, Judge Henry reprimanded CNN 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 not earning 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.

This is a developing story, more to come…