A jury in Florida determined on Friday that CNN had defamed a U.S. Navy veteran through a 2021 report concerning individuals compensated for rescuing endangered Afghans following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

This ruling is notable as it is uncommon for a media organization to lose a defamation lawsuit, since libel laws generally provide robust protections for news outlets. Plaintiffs are typically required to meet a challenging standard in demonstrating defamation.

After deliberating for over eight hours beginning Thursday, the jurors in Panama City ruled in favor of Zachary Young, who claimed that CNN’s broadcasting of his image in a story about a “black market” for extracting desperate Afghans at high costs caused severe harm to his business.

The jury awarded Young $5 million in compensatory damages, and a confidential settlement regarding punitive damages was reached later that same day, as stated by the judge presiding over the case. However, specifics concerning that settlement have not been disclosed.

Young contended that his clientele consisted of sponsors willing to pay for the evacuation of Afghan individuals, rather than for the Afghan people themselves, who were often charged fees as high as $10,000 for such services. CNN acknowledged its inaccuracy in referring to the operations as a “black market,” yet maintained that their coverage of Young was factual.

The network declined to comment on the verdict.

In this trial, which took place in a conservative region, Young’s legal team urged jurors to convey a strong cautionary message to the media. The jurors’ inquiries during the proceedings hinted at some bias, with one juror questioning if CNN had placed Young in a position of guilt without adequate proof.

Messages exchanged among CNN employees were also presented during the trial, including private remarks from reporter Alex Marquardt, who used inappropriate and disparaging language regarding Young. Marquardt affirmed during his testimony that his article was not intended to discredit Young.

Marquardt’s story originally aired on November 11, 2021, as part of Jake Tapper’s CNN broadcast, and the report was subsequently adapted for the network’s online platform.

Defamation cases are relatively uncommon in the U.S., largely due to the strong constitutional protections afforded to the press, which make it difficult to substantiate claims of libel. Consequently, many media executives are reluctant to take such cases before a judge or jury, viewing the process as too risky.

In an example of this hesitance, ABC News decided last month to settle a libel lawsuit brought by former President Trump for $15 million, rather than contest statements made by George Stephanopoulos about him. ABC, owned by Walt Disney Co., concluded that continuing the legal battle with Trump was not worthwhile, regardless of the potential outcome.

Similarly, Fox News opted to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787 million just as their trial was poised to commence in 2023, resolving the company’s accusations regarding inaccurate reporting following the 2020 presidential election.