Defamation Judge Dramatically Chucks Out CNN's Sharia Law Defense As $1Billion Jake Tapper Lawsuit Drags On
CNN claimed that Young charged exorbitant prices to smuggle people out of the country amid the return of Taliban rule.
Oct. 23 2024, Published 5:57 p.m. ET
A judge has dramatically thrown out CNN’s desperate attempt to cite Taliban Sharia law in their defense in the $1 billion defamation case.
RadarOnline.com can reveal that the judge also ordered that Plaintiff and Navy veteran Zachary Young “did not act illegally or criminally" despite what the network claimed.
CNN is being accused of defamation.
As RadarOnline,com previously reported, attorney Vel Freedman said his client, private security consultant Zachary Young, had been branded a “human trafficker” and a “war profiteer” in an episode of The Lead with Jake Tapper back in 2021.
Back in August, it was reported that CNN took to citing Taliban Sharia law to defend the remarks made in the episode claiming that Young "was engaged in criminal activity when he was working to help rescue women and children from Afghanistan following U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban sweeping back into power."
In their filing, CNN claimed that Young charged exorbitant prices to smuggle people out of the country amid the return of Taliban rule.
The network claimed all activities "were illegal in Afghanistan at the time.”
According to NewsBusters, Judge Henry claimed that CNN’s accusation of Young being involved in a “black market” was not something the court could make a ruling on “at this time.”
The judge also said their citation of Sharia law was “a bridge too far."
Judge Henry said: "First, there is nothing in the record to suggest that any Taliban or Sharia law which would restrict the movement of persons (especially women) within or out of Afghanistan was properly enacted, adopted or recognized law to even suggest that evacuating individuals from Afghanistan was a criminal or illegal activity."
"In fact, the only information contained in the record suggests that formal adoption of any rules restricting travel within or out of Afghanistan did not occur until 2024 – almost three years after the publications in this case."
The judge also said their citation of Sharia law was 'a bridge too far.'
On November 11, 2021, CNN broadcasted the controversial story about Young and his company, Nemex.
Tapper and CNN's chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt linked Young to black market operations and the exploitation of individuals trapped in Afghanistan through charging exorbitant prices for their liberation.
Before the broadcast, the veteran informed Marquardt that the segment was full of inaccuracies.
However, Marquardt and Tapper proceeded to air it despite the warning after it was approved by the network's top executives.
According to Freedman, Young had lost between $40-60 million in opportunity throughout his career since people in the field no longer wanted to work with him.
The trial start date for the case is still set for January 6, 2025.
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The trial start date for the case still is January 6, 2025.
