CNN’s defamation trial: A judge imposed a fine for personal attacks after chaos broke out in court
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – There were fireworks at the Bay County Courthouse Thursday during the third day high stakes testimony from plaintiffs in a defamation suit against CNN, resulting in a judge imposing a fine for personal attacks.
US Navy veteran Young claims CNN defamed him by suggesting he illegally profited from helping people flee Afghanistan on the “black market” during Biden administration military withdrawal from the country in 2021 Young believes CNN “destroyed his reputation and business” by labeling him an illegal profiteer who exploited “desperate Afghans” during a Nov. 11, 2021, segment that first aired on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper.
Young previously said during depositions and testimony that he never received money or found work in his industry after the CNN report. This became critical during cross-examination when CNN’s lead attorney David Axelrod, who is not the same person as the on-air expert with the same name, pulled a document that was unknown to the prosecutor or the court.
NAVY VETERAN WARNS CNN REPORTER WILL ‘SEEK LEGAL DAMAGES’ IF ‘INCORRECT’ STORY IS PUBLISHED
14th Circuit Court Judge William S. Henry. (Tyler Orsburn/Gannett)
Judge William Henry sent the jury out of the room to deliberate the matter without them being present. The document was a contract linking Young to Helios Global. It was signed by Young and dated December 8, 2021 – after CNN’s report aired.
Young’s attorney, Vel Freedman, noted that Helios Global appeared during the discovery process and that “CNN chose not to subpoena” any documents.
“We did not have this document, or it would have been produced, and that does not mean that Mr. Young breached his disclosure obligations,” Freedman said.
He then accused CNN of using it as a “surprise document” for “dramatic effect.”
“We should not have an ambush trial in this state,” Freedman said.
“This is completely inappropriate,” he continued. “And CNN should not be allowed to use this document. They should have given it to us first.”
Freedman then called CNN’s legal team “desperate,” prompting laughter from their bench.
Judge Henry then reprimanded both sides for “personal attacks” and insults.
Axelrod shot back: “The plaintiff’s whole case is that he couldn’t get any work after the CNN announcement.”
Axelrod then said that Young “knew he had entered into a new contract with a government contractor a month after CNN made the announcement.”
Prosecutor Zachary Young claims CNN defamed him by suggesting he made illegal money helping people flee Afghanistan on the “black market” during the Biden administration’s 2021 military withdrawal from the country. (CNN/Screenshot)
“This whole lawsuit was a fraud on this court. It was a fraud on CNN,” Axelrod said, adding that Young “lied” in his testimony.
“He invented an incredible scam,” Axelrod said. “This lawsuit was a fraud from day one.”
The two sides argued back and forth until Judge Henry found both sides guilty of “throwing mud back and forth.”
“I’m not going to make a judgment based on who can think of each other as the worst person in this case,” Judge Henry said.
Judge Henry then asked for a recess because he wanted to go back to his chambers and think things over. This resulted in a lengthy delay, as reporters and others in attendance speculated whether the entire trial would be thrown out as a result. Based on Axelrod’s reaction to the document, most people watching the trial assumed the document showed Young was being paid as a consultant by Helios, which would contradict the affidavit.
Judge Henry eventually returned and ruled that the trial would continue, and the document was allowed to be used. Judge Henry suggested that knowledge of the document was clearly in Young’s “brain,” even if he did not have a physical copy to hand over during discovery. He also ruled that admitting this late does not constitute prejudice.
“I don’t expect this to happen again. I think I said this last time,” Judge Henry said.
US Navy veteran Zachary Young testified under oath that he did not take any money from Helios after the CNN report aired. (Jessica Costescu)
The judge ordered a fine of $100 for each time an attorney personally insults another party below, with the money going to Legal Services of North Florida.
After a startling pause, the trial resumed, and Axelrod briefly touched on a document that seemed so critical. Axelrod noted that a headline titled “consultant security agreement” asked Young if he signed the document on Dec. 8, 2021, and if that date was after the CNN segment.
“Yes,” Young replied.
Shortly thereafter, Axelrod concluded his cross-examination.
Freedman later asked Young to clear the documents during the diversion.
“Once you leave the civil service, you cannot keep it personal [security] customs clearance yourself. It must be through a company that has a contract with the United States government. They are the ones who have to sponsor the customs clearance. The approval was issued by the US government,” Young said.
“This is just a company, like any defense contractor, that has contracts with the U.S. government and they have clearance for an individual,” Young said. “Every year you have to sign this administrative document with whoever has your approval. In this case it’s Helios. It’s not a contract to do work… it’s just an administrative function.”
Young testified that he turned over seven years worth of bank records and that there were no payments from Helios to him.
“CNN knows this, there is no transfer from Helios Global,” Young said.
So, in the end, Young testified under oath that he didn’t take any money from Helios after the CNN story aired and, therefore, wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t make any money in his industry after the CNN story — but North Florida Legal Services could get a few donations if the hostile environment remains.
The trial continues on Friday and will be watched live Fox News Digital.
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