Alex Jones gets angry at critics during Sandy Hook claims trial
Alex Jones provoked a courtroom yelling match on Thursday when he testified in a hearing to determine how much he owes relatives of Sandy Hook Elementary School victims, whom he erroneously claimed was a fake.
After four hours of testimony in Waterbury, Connecticut, near Newtown, tensions boiled out. Jones slammed “liberals” and refused to apologize to victims’ families.
“These are real people, do you know that Mr. Jones?” Attorney Chris Mattei asked.
“Just like all the Iraqis you liberals killed and love,” added Jones, a Texas-based webcast host who said no one was killed at Sandy Hook and the families were actors. His disciples tortured and threatened families.
The defamation trial primarily involves how much Jones and Infowars’ parent business must pay in damages for spreading claims that the U.S. government orchestrated the killing of 20 children and six staff members to seize guns.
Jones, Mattei, and Jones’ lawyer, Norman Pattis, shouted during Mattei’s questioning.
After jurors left for the day, Judge Barbara Bellis told attorneys she would implement a “zero tolerance” policy for interruptions and schedule contempt-of-court proceedings for Jones.
Mattei presented a video clip in which Jones complimented his followers for putting Infowars stickers on the Connecticut courtroom.
“Conservatives put up stickers and we’re bad, I know, we all need to go to prison,” Jones stated mockingly in court, causing the judge to dismiss the courtroom and consult with attorneys. Jones is not charged.
Mattei played the tape as evidence that Jones’ followers harassed Sandy Hook families online and in person, even at memorials.
Jones admitted calling Bellis a “tyrant” when Mattei showed an Infowars image of Bellis with red lasers in her eyes. he said he was not responsible for the post
Bellis has banned political and conspiracy ideas from the trial.
Jones cannot argue his culpability for damages after Bellis imposed a default judgment last year for repeated court order violations.
Jurors must decide how much Jones and Infowars’ parent Free Speech Systems must pay for the grief and suffering he caused.
A month ago, a Texas jury awarded the conspiracy theorist $49.3 million in a similar case.
Jones’ lawyers say the award is exorbitant under Texas law.