Panama City, Florida – Lawyers for U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young said Tuesday on the first day of his high-stakes defamation trial that CNN chose “drama over truth” in a desperate attempt to boost viewership and that it was ” He has ruined the lives of American patriots.”
Young believes CNN has “ruined his reputation and business” by labeling him a “profiteer” who exploited “desperate Afghans.” Judge William S. Henry of the 14th Judicial Circuit, presiding over the trial in Bay County, Florida, ruled that despite the station's broadcast, Young “did not engage in any illegal or criminal activity.” I put it down.
“In August 2021, as American troops withdrew from Afghanistan on President Biden's orders, the world braced for the return of the Taliban to power. Anyone who was watching the news at the time was aware that millions of war-torn “I witnessed the chaotic situation that unfolded as people tried to flee,” attorney Kyle Roche said at the beginning of the plaintiff's opening statement.
“But the CNN reporters sat at their desks in Washington, D.C., and wanted to tell the American people an even more sensational story,” Roche continued. “They received information that Zachary Young, a CIA-trained military veteran, was illegally preying on desperate Afghans in black market operations.”
Juror in CNN defamation trial decides: 'I'm not a fan of CNN' after multiple candidates express disdain for the network
US Navy veteran Zachary Young believes CNN has “ruined his reputation and business” by labeling him a “profiteer” who exploited “desperate Afghans.” (Jessica Costescu)
CNN's lead attorney, David Axelrod, pushed back against Zachary Young's claims, calling CNN's reporting “tough and fair” but “accurate.” (Jessica Costescu)
Roche told the jury of six women and two men, including alternates, that if CNN's report was true, “there would be no problem.”
“The problem for CNN is that they couldn't confirm any facts,” Roche said.
“I tried to get evidence that Zak was accusing Afghans, but everyone I talked to either had never heard of Zak, or that Zak is trying to get people out of the country like Zak.” He said he only works with companies like Bloomberg who want to pay for specialized experts.'' “The facts didn't matter. CNN felt they had a sensational story to drive ratings and didn't care about the truth.”
Roche said emails and behind-the-scenes video footage would support his claims because they “show that CNN was willing to cast Zack as the villain” to increase interest in the story. . Roche then told the jury about internal communications in which CNN employees used profanity and derogatory language when discussing Young personally.
CNN appears in high-stakes defamation trial over Afghanistan division
Attorney Kyle Roche, a member of Zachary Young's defense team, gave opening statements Tuesday. (Jessica Costescu)
This story first aired on CNN's “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on November 11, 2021.
“Zack's face was plastered on television screens around the world, depicted as a black market operator preying on desperate Afghans. We are here in this courtroom today because CNN has preferred more drama than truth. and ruined the lives of American patriots,” Roche said. Said.
Roche told jurors that Young worked on behalf of Audible and Bloomberg, the U.S. companies that hired him to help certain people get safely out of the country, and to help evacuate 22 women from Afghanistan. said that it was successful.
“Despite warnings from CNN employees that this story has 'more holes than Swiss cheese,' you will hear how this story turned Zack's life upside down,” Roche said. The department's CNN staff hinted at internal communications that revealed skepticism about the matter. Talk before broadcast.
Mr. Roche reminded the jury that the court had already ruled that Mr. Young did not violate any laws by accepting money from Afghans. He said this is an opportunity to send a message to all news organizations that “reckless journalism is un-American,” “dangerous,” and has consequences.
“There is absolutely no excuse for what CNN did. We will prove it through evidence,” he said.
CNN faces defamation lawsuit over Afghanistan withdrawal story: 'evidence of actual malice'
Jurors on Tuesday deemed CNN's “The Lead with Jake Tapper” segment at the center of a high-stakes defamation lawsuit. (CNN/Screenshot)
Mr. Roche did not use the allotted time to air the central part of the case, instead asking that it be aired later in the trial when the plaintiffs had more time to explain each moment they found defamatory. suggested.
CNN's lead attorney, David Axelrod, then delivered the defense's opening argument, but he is not the same as CNN's senior commentator, David Axelrod. He strongly pushed back against Roche's claims, calling CNN's reporting “tough and fair” and “accurate.” He added: “There is no suggestion that Mr. Young committed any criminal act.”
“There's nothing there,” Axelrod said.
“Every word was accurate and CNN's reporting was tough,” Axelrod added. “And that's what the evidence in this case will show.”
Mr. Axelrod then showed jurors the central part of the case and criticized Mr. Young's defense team for not showing it themselves in their opening statements.
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“This article in no way suggests that Mr. Young is doing anything criminal. It in no way suggests that Mr. Young is doing anything criminal. He says he's charging a lot of money to get people out of Afghanistan, and he's using his own words. His own words are the only way to explain that,” Axelrod said. Ta.
“This is a defamation case, and you might wonder why the plaintiffs didn't show that part in their presentation… They chose not to show it to you, because if you actually “If you look at that part and actually look at the article, you'll see there's nothing there,” he added. “So please watch this part carefully.”
CNN's lawyers then began the segment, pausing repeatedly to explain their side of the story to jurors, often suggesting that many elements were not relevant to Young.
Young then took the stand as the first witness and spent the rest of the day detailing his extensive background. We will reopen on Wednesday.
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