By Jack Queen
(Reuters) -A Florida jury on Friday found U.S. broadcaster CNN liable for defaming a U.S. Navy veteran who helped evacuate people from Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdrew from the country in 2021.
The jury said CNN had to pay damages totaling $5 million. There will be a second phase of the trial to determine any punitive damages.
The verdict was handed down by a six-person jury after a two-week trial in Panama City, Florida, state court.
Plaintiff Zachary Young sued CNN in 2022 and accused the cable news giant of destroying his reputation in a segment on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” by branding him as a profiteer who exploited desperate Afghans by charging them exorbitant fees.
CNN stood by its story and denied defaming Young, though the network said in March 2022 that it regretted using the term “black market” to describe Young’s work.
(Reporting by Jack Queen in New York)
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