The court fined Alex Jones $965 million for spreading false information about Sandy Hook
Alex Jones should pay $965 million to victims who suffered from his bogus Sandy Hook shooting allegation, a jury in Connecticut ruled.
The verdict is the latest major judgment against the Infowars host for promoting the myth that the 2012 massacre never happened and that the mourning family in news coverage were actors hired to take away people’s guns.
The case was filed by family of five children, three educators, and an FBI agent who was a first responder. In August, a Texas jury awarded nearly $50 million to another child’s parents.
After the verdict, some plaintiffs hugged. Jones was not there, but Infowars showed live court video.
He said, “Hey, folks, don’t go buying big homes,”
Parents and siblings of the victims testified tearfully about being threatened and harassed for years by Jones’ fans.
Strangers recorded them at home. Online abuse was rampant. Erica Lafferty, daughter of killed Sandy Hook principal Dawn Hochsprung, received rape threats. Mark Barden said conspiracy theorists urinated on his son’s grave and threatened to dig it up.
Jones testified he was wrong about Sandy Hook. He confirmed the shooting. Defiant in court and on his show.
He branded the proceedings a “kangaroo court,” insulted the judge, and called the plaintiffs’ counsel an ambulance chaser. He alleged Democrats and the media conspired to silence and bankrupt him.
“I’ve already said ‘I’m sorry’ hundreds of times, and I am done”
The Dec. 14, 2012 shooting killed 20 children and 6 adults. The defamation trial was held in Waterbury, roughly 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Newtown.
The complaint accused Jones and Infowars’ parent firm, Free Speech Systems, of profiting from the massacre. Experts said Jones’ audience and merchandise sales grew when he covered Sandy Hook.
In both the Texas and Connecticut lawsuits, courts deemed the firm responsible for damages by default after Jones failed to cooperate with court procedures on revealing evidence, including data that could have shown if Infowars profited from spreading falsehoods about mass killings.
Jones could not discuss free speech or other things during his testimony because he was already guilty.
Jones faces a third trial in a lawsuit filed by the parents of another child slain in the incident.
Jones’ ability to pay verdicts is unknown. In Texas, he testified he could not afford a $2 million judgment. Free Speech Systems is bankrupt. In Texas, an analyst said Jones and his company were worth $270 million.