While Judge Orinda Evans didn’t outright declare the network “fake news,” she did rule the network was guilty of a “series of false and defamatory news reports” concerning Davide Carbone, the former CEO of St. Mary’s Medical Center.
“The Court finds these allegations sufficient to establish that CNN was acting recklessly with regard to the accuracy of its report, i.e., with ‘actual malice,” the court’s decision read, released Feb. 15th.
CNN hoped to get the $30 million case dismissed, but that's not going to happen. The judge found that CNN manipulated data and "reported" with bias. For a broadcast station, such a ruling would likely prompt an FCC license revocation, but as CNN is not broadcast over airwaves, the FCC has no jurisdiction here.
