Plaintiff in CNN defamation case celebrates ‘vindication’

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – US Army veteran Zachary Young is celebrating the “forgiveness” he received after a judge found CNN defamed him, ending a bitter two-week court battle.

“I’m glad it’s over,” Young told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I feel good, very, very good.”

After more than eight hours of deliberations, a six-person jury decided that Young would be awarded $4 million in lost money, $1 million in personal damages such as pain and suffering and said punitive damages were authorized by CNN. But as the second phase of the trial continues, attorneys for both Young and CNN told 14th Judicial Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry that they had reached a settlement.

“It’s been three years, and to have the result that we were looking for, which was being shown publicly, is an amazing feeling. And I’m glad that it’s over, and we don’t have to spend more years and more time arguing about the meaning of the word,” said Young.

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The amount paid was not disclosed, but it came after an expert witness suggested that $150 million was a fair amount to fine CNN.

After a years-long legal battle with CNN, Young tells Fox News Digital that he has no “hate” toward the network.

“I think this was a good result for both of us,” said Young. “I can go on with my life now, and I couldn’t even imagine what that would look like or feel like for a long time. I still wonder what that will be like. when the dust settles but as far as the hate towards CNN, I have absolutely none.”

“I hope they learn something from this incident,” he continued. “I hope they’ll take this as an opportunity to look in the mirror and see that, you know, there’s room for change and improvement, and if that’s the effect it has on CNN and maybe others in the media as well they can see that as a good thing.”

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CNN settled its defamation lawsuit against Young after a judge found the network defamed him. (John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Vel Freedman, Young’s lead attorney in the defamation case against CNN, was also impressed by the legal victory.

“We were able to clear Zak’s name, we got a verdict, and we settled so he could avoid a lengthy appeal and get on with his life,” Freedman told Fox News Digital. “So, as a lawyer, that’s exactly what you want to do.”

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, a CNN spokesperson said, “We are always proud of our reporters and are 100% committed to strong, fearless and objective reporting at CNN, although we will take the lessons we can learn from this case.”

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Young accused CNN of defaming him after it aired a photo linking him to “black markets” during a segment that premiered on “The Lead with Jake Tapper.” (CNN/Screenshot)

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Young accused CNN of defaming him by suggesting he made illegal profits while helping people flee Afghanistan on the “black market” during The Biden administration Military withdrawal from the country by 2021. Young believed that CNN “destroyed his reputation and business” by calling him an illegal profiteer who exploited “desperate Afghans” in the November 2021 segment.

Young’s legal team has obtained CNN’s internal communications that were found to repeatedly show employees expressing open hostility toward Navy veterans. Among those who were presented before the judges, one called him a “s—bag” an “ia–hole” and another said he had a “stingy face.”

It was also revealed that Alex Marquardt, the CNN correspondent who was leading the on-air report, told a colleague that “we’re going to call Zachary Young mf—er,” a message often quoted throughout the lawsuit.

Brian Flood and Annie McCuen of Fox News contributed to this report.