Infowars’ Alex Jones ordered to pay $473 million more to Sandy Hook’s family – National

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his firm were ordered Thursday to pay an additional $473 million to victims’ families and FBI agents who called the 2012 Sandy Hook School a hoax, issued last month. It added to the nearly $1 billion jury verdict.

Connecticut Judge Barabara Bellis has awarded punitive damages to Infowars hosts and the free speech system. Jones repeatedly told his millions of followers that the massacre that killed 20 first graders and six educators was staged by “crisis managers” to tighten gun control.

Relatives of eight victims and FBI agents testified at the month-long trial about years of intimidation and harassment from those who denied the shooting. Strangers showed up at some of their homes and confronted them in public. People threw abusive comments at them on social media and in emails. Others have received death threats or rape threats.

A six-person jury decided to indemnify the 15 plaintiffs for defamation, infliction of emotional distress, and violations of Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, which prohibits fraudulent business practices and unfair competition. ordered Jones to pay US$965 million.

Jones called the trial unfair and an attack on free speech. He says he will appeal the verdict. He also says he does not have the money to pay such a huge judgment as his title is less than US$2 million. This contradicts testimony at a similar trial in Texas. Meanwhile, Free Speech Systems is seeking bankruptcy protection.

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Bellis last year held without trial the parent company of Jones and Infowars liable for damages. This, she called, was due to his repeated failure to turn over many financial documents and other records to the plaintiff. After an unusual “default” ruling, the jury was left only to determine whether compensatory and punitive damages were warranted.

Jones says he filed thousands of documents and was denied the right to present a defense to the lawsuit due to the default award.

In Connecticut, punitive damages for defamation and emotional distress are generally limited to the plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees. Attorneys for Sandy Hook plaintiff set attorney fees at her $322 million and receive her one-third of her $965 million compensatory damages under the commencement agreement. has become

However, there is no cap on punitive damages for unfair trade law violations. Plaintiffs did not seek a specific amount of punitive damages, but one hypothetical calculation suggests that such damages could amount to approximately $2.75 trillion under the Unfair Trade Act. said.

In a similar trial in Texas in August, Jones was ordered to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of another child killed in the Sandy Hook shooting for calling the massacre a hoax. Forensic economists testified during the trial that Jones and the free speech system had a combined net worth of $270 million.

A third and final hearing of Jones’ hoax claim is expected to begin in Texas later this year. As was the case in Connecticut, Jones was found to be liable for damages without trial in both Texas lawsuits because he failed to surrender many records to the plaintiffs.

© 2022 The Canadian Press