A CNN producer admitted that he thinks Zachary Young has a "punchable face" in a deposition played in court on Tuesday.
Michael Conte faced questions about messages to colleagues, including one in which he said Young had a "punchable face." Conte said it was probably because of Young's "smirk" and the sunglasses he was wearing in a photo used in the CNN segment.
Why It Matters
Trust in legacy media organizations has been declining in the United States for years. In April 2024, Fox News settled a lawsuit for $787 million after broadcasting false claims that voting machines were rigged in the 2020 election.
Media organizations will closely watch the CNN case to determine the limits of the First Amendment's freedom of speech protections.
What To Know
Young is a U.S. Navy veteran who was featured in a segment on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper on November 11, 2021, about the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan. Young operated a business that helped Afghan citizens evacuate during that time. He is suing CNN for defamation and libel.
Conte was asked what he meant by his comments on Young.
"They look like someone I wouldn't want to hang out with," he said.
He said it does not mean he wants to hurt that person.
Conte was also asked if CNN journalists frequently refer to subjects of stories as "motherf******." In a message shown in court, CNN's chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt stated, "We gonna nail this Zachary Young mf*****," allegedly about Young.
"I can't speak for all of CNN," Conte said.
He added that he hears "a lot of profanity at work."
Conte said Young's lack of communication with the network's journalists "certainly seems shady."
"I didn't characterize him as shady myself," Conte said. "In Alex's characterization here, it's based on the fact that we were asking him questions, and he was either not answering them or getting back to us with incomplete information."
Depositions from multiple CNN employees, including Jake Tapper, were played in court on Tuesday.
What People Are Saying
Conte, in his deposition: "[Young] answered some of our questions, not all, and for a while was refusing to answer. That pattern certainly doesn't look like he's interested in being especially transparent with our questions."
Marquardt, in his testimony: "I wasn't looking to take anyone down, I don't believe I took anyone down, and I don't believe the story was about Mr. Young."
What Happens Next
Evidence is still being presented to the jury as the trial continues. It is expected to last two weeks.
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