A Florida judge on Friday sided with U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, who is suing CNN for defamation, on several critical issues as the high-stakes trial is set to begin next month.
Young alleges that CNN smeared him by implying he illegally profited via a “black market” when helping people flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration’s military withdrawal from the country in 2021. Young believes CNN “destroyed his reputation and business” during a segment that year on Jake Tapper’s program “The Lead,” which was shared on social media and also repackaged for CNN’s website.
Judge William Henry denied CNN’s motion for summary judgment, allowing Young to “proceed with his claim for punitive damages” and declaring the court found he “did not take money from Afghans.”
CNN FACES DEFAMATION SUIT OVER AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL STORY: ‘EVIDENCE OF ACTUAL MALICE’
“Despite claiming it did ‘three weeks of newsgathering’ and ‘spoke with more than a dozen sources,’ Defendant’s representatives acknowledged it had no evidence …