A Florida judge exploded at CNN lawyers on Wednesday morning during a high-stakes court clash discussing alleged defamation and the network’s ‘credibility.’
Bay County-based judge, William Henry lost his patience during Wednesday’s defamation case hearing as the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court judge claimed lawyers from the left-leaning outlet were issuing ‘blatant misrepresentations’ and lacking ‘professionalism.’
‘We don’t lawyer like this around here,’ Henry said. ‘We don’t play the shenanigans anymore in this case.’
The damning defamation case was brought about by Zachary Young, a security contractor who extracted people from Afghanistan.
Young claims a November 2021 segment on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper falsely painted him as an ‘illegal profiteer’ exploiting ‘desperate Afghans’ with ‘exorbitant’ fees amid President Biden’s withdrawal from the country.
During the week-long proceedings, Henry’s frustrations for the ‘lack of professionalism’ continued to mount and was seemingly initiated by – and in the end seemed to largely target – CNN’s lead counsel David Axelrod.
At one point during seventh day of proceedings during a discovery hearing, Henry called the legal team’s late-breaking discovery efforts akin to ‘Kindergarten’-level antics – not attorneys with law degrees.
‘This isn’t kindergarten,’ Henry said. ‘You all matriculated from kindergarten a long, long, long time ago, or at least that’s what it says because you all have bar licenses.’
Henry continued on digging into Axelrod, claiming the seasoned attorney was merely doing the same thing his opposition had, yet tried to paint the picture differently.
Henry touched on Young’s attorney’s ask for an additional presentation to discuss a late-stage document, however, the plaintiff rested late Tuesday afternoon.
‘I find it rich that we’ve got discovery being done at the same time a motion to quash is being filed; arguing that the plaintiffs are violating the rules by sending out trial subpoenas when the defense is doing the exact same thing.’ Henry said, targeting Axelrod.
But, Axelrod argued that Young was trying ‘to get around’ his own discovery obligations and said the plaintiff did, in fact, have access to the document in question.
That was the last straw for Henry who then intensely questioned the CNN affiliate.
‘I can get the court reporter to read back exactly what you said,’ the then-angered judge told Axelrod as he gestured toward the municipal employee.
‘But I think I verbatim said exactly what you said,’ Henry added.
Axelrod attempted to clarify: ‘Your honor, the point I’m trying to make …’ he began before being cut off by an incensed Henry.
‘I’m tired of these blatant misrepresentations that are being made,’ Henry said shouting.
‘And they’re being made by both of y’all,’ Henry said of both legal parties.
‘And maybe they’re not 100 percent lies. Maybe they’re leaving out a little bit of the truth. And making representations, so you can carefully say: “Well, I didn’t exactly say that.”‘
Henry then tore into Axelrod for the numerous times he referred to the plaintiff as a liar, claiming he did not know how many times the attorney had done so and threatening to consult the transcript.
‘In his deposition, he acknowledged his security – his security being held by Helios Global,’ Henry went on.
‘Which is exactly what that document is and exactly what he testified to. I think an apology, from you, is clearly in order, to Mr. Young, for the number of times in front of this court -and streamed around the world – that you called Mr. Young a liar for failing to disclose a document that wasn’t – that you have no proof was in his custody or control.’
Young has since received permission to introduce the surprise document and question a Helios Global representative about the document before the jury.
The judge also reserved the right to issue sanctions related to the entire matter.
