Jurors Riveted By Evidence CNN Defamed Navy Vet: Reports

Jurors were reportedly “intently listening” to the evidence presented on Tuesday in the defamation case against CNN that appeared to undermine CNN’s argument.

Fox News’ Brian Flood reported that “the jury is locked in, listening intently” while Media Research Center’s Nicholas Fondacaro reported from the Bay County courthouse that “the jury is intently listening” to evidence presented by attorneys for U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young.

Young sued CNN, alleging that a segment that aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” falsely accused him of exploiting Afghans by offering evacuations from Afghanistan on a “black market” following the disastrous 2021 withdrawal. Young argued he used his skills and connections to help corporations and charities to evacuate people. Notably, a court agreed that Young did nothing illegal. Young is seeking punitive damages.

Evidence Shows Young Would Lose Contract If Engaged In ‘Black Market’ Operations

Young’s alleges that CNN’s segment “rendered Young permanently unemployable” and caused “Young to suffer millions of dollars in lost income” because the segment “associated” Young with “black markets” via its chyron. Young’s team argues the term “black market” implies nefarious or illegal conduct– which was expressly prohibited in his defense contracts.

CNN’s lawyer, David Axelrod, argued in an opening statement Tuesday that the use of the “black market” chyron did not refer to illegal activity but rather “covert” operations to help evacuate Afghans.

But such a term — “black market” — was expressly stated as being prohibited conduct in a contract between Young and DynCorp International, which is a U.S. defense contractor. The contract, presented to jurors on Tuesday, showed Young would get fired and lose severance if he engaged in any “dishonest, unethical, immoral or fraudulent conduct” — including engagement with “black market” operations.

One provision discussed ethical behavior, reputation, and following host-country law. The contract stipulated that Young would not be entitled to severance if he engaged “in any dishonest, unethical, immoral or fraudulent conduct or any gross misconduct which discredits or causes harm to the [DynCorp International].” Another provision stipulated Young must follow the laws of the “host country” — Saudi Arabia — regarding things like involvement with the “black market.” Young testified that “black market” operations — the same phrase CNN used in their chyron in their story on Young — are illegal in Saudi Arabia.

“This is a defense contractor that does a lot of sensitive work, so their reputations are very, very important for these big companies,” Young testified. “These companies have a reputation so they don’t want anyone involved in any crimes, involved in any dishonest, unethical, fraud…”

CNN ‘Inadvertently’ Didn’t Turn Over Evidence

CNN allegedly did not turn over evidence that was unknown to both CNN and Young’s team until a Fox News Digital report uncovered it.

In a teaser that aired in 2021, Tapper tells viewers of a story surrounding “desperate Afghans still trying to escape the country being preyed on by folks demanding that they pay up big time to get out,” according to Fox News. Tapper later “reminded viewers that the story on ‘desperate Afghans’ being ‘preyed upon’ was up next,” according to Fox News.

During Tuesday’s lunch break, Young’s team informed the presiding judge that CNN failed to turn over video footage of Tapper promoting the “black market” segment on air.

Young’s attorneys sparred in the courtroom over the evidence, with CNN’s lawyer telling Young’s defense: “If you knew what you were looking for you could have found it.”

Young’s lawyer shot back: “CNN didn’t know about it’s own videos, it’s news to CNN that they created these videos. We are at fault for not realizing that they failed to comply with the basic discovery obligations? We shouldn’t have to audit CNN’s website or transcripts to make sure they’re complying with discovery process.”

CNN’s attorneys defended themselves, arguing: “It was inadvertent that we didn’t produce it,” and that they “just didn’t know about it.”

The judge ruled the teaser could be presented to the jury but that cross-examination on the video would not be permitted.

Jurors Reportedly ‘Receptive’ To Young Telling CNN Source To ‘F*ck Off’

Toward the end of Tuesday’s hearing, jurors were shown a series of text messages between Young and Jill Kornetsky, a CNN source.

The messages show Young telling Kornetsky to contact him if she knows people in Afghanistan in need of evacuation.

“It’s not free though we don’t have a ‘non-profit’ standing behind us fleecing [donors],” Young said in a message to Kornetsky. (Young had previously testified about the costs of evacuations).

Kornetsky appeared to call Young a mercenary and accused him of making a profit. Young told the court he took offense to the term “mercenaries.” Kornetsky also accused Young of taking a “cut” before saying Young’s evacuation costs sound “more like a retirement plan than a mission of mercy.”

Evidence shows Young explaining the cost breakdown before eventually telling Kornetsky to “f*ck off.”

Fondacaro reported the “jury seems receptive to Young’s message of ‘f*ck off’ to Kornetsky…”

Young also said he doesn’t have to defend his evacuation costs to a “spiteful b*tch on LinkedIn.”

Young told the jurors he “shouldn’t have” said what he said.

Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2