Lawyers on both sides delivered impassioned closing arguments on Thursday as Zachary Young’s high-profile defamation lawsuit against CNN heads to the jury.

The Florida case centers on coverage of a Navy veteran who helped with Afghanistan evacuation, but has broader implications for media industry.

CNN will have to fork over at least $5 million to a U.S. Navy veteran after it lost a defamation trial in Florida on Friday. A Panama City, Florida, jury ruled that CNN had defamed security contractor Zachary Young when it aired a 2021 report that said he was part of a “black market” that price-gouged those attempting to flee Afghanistan after the U.

The jury deliberated for more than eight hours starting before ruling in favor of Zachary Young in his defamation suit against CNN.

Zachary Young claimed CNN ruined his business and reputation when the network ran a story on private contractors charging Afghans trying to flee their country, but he says he didn't participate in the