DDF'er Wins Huge CNN Defamation Trial!

[zh cohen]

CNN was found liable for defamation of Zack Young (a former CIA cooperative who was getting people out of Afghanistan after the US left) with actual malice!

Judgment of $5 million in damages ($4mm in lost wages and $1mm in emotional distress).

Now the jury will decide how much the punitive damages will be.

ETA: wasn't sure where to put this, but didn't want to start a new thread. While the news isn't political, I imagine the discussion likely will be.

[Chester7]

CNN was found liable for defamation of Zack Young (a former CIA cooperative who was getting people out of Afghanistan after the US left) with actual malice!

Judgment of $5 million in damages ($4mm in lost wages and $1mm in emotional distress).

Now the jury will decide how much the punitive damages will be.

ETA: wasn't sure where to put this, but didn't want to start a new thread. While the news isn't political, I imagine the discussion likely will be.

What did they accuse him of?

[zh cohen]

What did they accuse him of?

Taking advantage of Afghans who wanted to get out and working in a "black market."

In other words, being a scumbag.

[Dan]

CNN was found liable for defamation of Zack Young (a former CIA cooperative who was getting people out of Afghanistan after the US left) with actual malice!

Judgment of $5 million in damages ($4mm in lost wages and $1mm in emotional distress).

Now the jury will decide how much the punitive damages will be.

ETA: wasn't sure where to put this, but didn't want to start a new thread. While the news isn't political, I imagine the discussion likely will be.

Mazel tov @jj1000.

Vel killed it!

Hope to see a big punitive number!

[zh cohen]

Mazel tov @jj1000.

Is Tefillin Connection getting maaser from Vel's fee? ;-)

[Chester7]

Mazel tov @jj1000.

?

[zh cohen]

?

https://collive.com/frum-attorney-leaves-courtroom-to-make-it-in-time-for-shabbos/

[Yehuda57]

CNN was found liable for defamation of Zack Young (a former CIA cooperative who was getting people out of Afghanistan after the US left) with actual malice!

Judgment of $5 million in damages ($4mm in lost wages and $1mm in emotional distress).

Now the jury will decide how much the punitive damages will be.

ETA: wasn't sure where to put this, but didn't want to start a new thread. While the news isn't political, I imagine the discussion likely will be.

Yesterday, on a small WhatsApp group I posted this

[Dan]

?

https://collive.com/frum-attorney-leaves-courtroom-to-make-it-in-time-for-shabbos/

https://www.dansdeals.com/more/dans-commentary/personal-messages/mazal-tov-jj-and-basha/

[zh cohen]

Yesterday, on a small WhatsApp group I posted this

Careful, CNN might accuse you of having someone in the jury room...

[Yehuda57]

Wow, I was following the case as background audio, so I hadn't seen the lawyer, had no idea he was frum, and certainly didn't know the familial connections.

I only started following towards the end of the plaintiff's case, and so I heard CNN's version and was leaning towards them being technically correct. But then the closing argument totally swung me over. He did a great, great job. He came across as a regular person, a stark contrast to his smug counterpart.

[Dan]

Wow, I was following the case as background audio, so I hadn't seen the lawyer, had no idea he was frum, and certainly didn't know the familial connections.

I only started following towards the end of the plaintiff's case, and so I heard CNN's version and was leaning towards them being technically correct. But then the closing argument totally swung me over. He did a great, great job. He came across as a regular person, a stark contrast to his smug counterpart.

Yup, incredible closing arguments!

Ivy League law school dropout @jj1000 worked with him on them, too!

[zh cohen]

Now the jury will decide how much the punitive damages will be.

An important point to keep in mind -

CNN bet everything on being declared not liable. All of their witnesses said that they didn't see anything wrong with the story, that they would publish it again, and that they saw no need to apologize.

They even said that the half-apology they did run should not have been run and was only because the legal department told them to do it.

One of the jurors even asked CNN's corporate rep about "disingenuous apologies." (The jury is allowed to submit written questions to the witnesses during their testimony. Not sure if that is a Florida thing, or a civil case thing).

All of that is going to come back to bite them now, when the jury has to decide the punishment.

[Yehuda57]

Although I do disagree with him, black market can mean an unregulated market that isn't illegal, though I would have liked to see CNN prove that usage in other stories

[jj1000]

Wow, I was following the case as background audio, so I hadn't seen the lawyer, had no idea he was frum, and certainly didn't know the familial connections.

I only started following towards the end of the plaintiff's case, and so I heard CNN's version and was leaning towards them being technically correct. But then the closing argument totally swung me over. He did a great, great job. He came across as a regular person, a stark contrast to his smug counterpart.

Not just that!

He's a DDF'er!

One of my students told me I was mentioned on this site. I teach the LSAT and am a third year student at Columbia. I started here, and I am also a Yeshivah Student.

My website is wantmy180.com

I'll be signed in here for a bit and would be happy to take questions for a bit...

-Velvel Freedman 

And yes, he's been beyond stupendous in this trial!

[Yehuda57]

An important point to keep in mind -

CNN bet everything on being declared not liable. All of their witnesses said that they didn't see anything wrong with the story, that they would publish it again, and that they saw no need to apologize.

They even said that the half-apology they did run should not have been run and was only because the legal department told them to do it.

One of the jurors even asked CNN's corporate rep about "disingenuous apologies." (The jury is allowed to submit written questions to the witnesses during their testimony. Not sure if that is a Florida thing, or a civil case thing).

All of that is going to come back to bite them now, when the jury has to decide the punishment.

The jury questions (something that I've never seen before and was really cool) were really good

[jj1000]

Although I do disagree with him, black market can mean an unregulated market that isn't illegal, though I would have liked to see CNN prove that usage in other stories

Wasn't the only point the case hinged on fwiw. And their internal communication before the story ran is what damned them for sure.

But as a comment said, a news site should know what words mean before using them.

[Yehuda57]

Do the punitives go to the plaintiff as well?

Judge going off on @MasterTheLsat 😂

[jj1000]

Do the punitives go to the plaintiff as well?

Yes

Judge going off on @MasterTheLsat 😂

He set the record straight!

[Yehuda57]

When the judge asked, "Do you want $1000?[fine]", it would have been such a move to say, "well, I can afford it now."