CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt has left the network after eight years, following a high-profile defamation case.
In January, a Florida jury found CNN defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young in a 2021 report suggesting he profited from the Afghanistan evacuation.
The jury awarded Young \$5 million, and CNN later settled before punitive damages were decided. Internal emails and testimony indicated Marquardt targeted Young. Despite this, CNN defended Marquardt until his quiet departure in June.
Young criticized Marquardt for never apologizing, while a related lawsuit against the Associated Press may be pending. The case significantly damaged CNN’s reputation and finances.
