Alex Jones Loses Court Battle vs. Sandy Hook Parents, Must Pay $4 Million in Damages
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones had been saying that the Sandy Hook Massacre, which killed 26 people, including 20 children aged six and seven, was "staged" and was a "false flag operation" to increase gun control. He also accused parents of the slain children and family members of the victims as "crisis actors."
The family members of the Sandy Hook victims have filed a lawsuit against Alex Jones and won. The host of Infowars must now pay these family members $4 million in damages.
Alex Jones May Have to Pay More as Jury Deliberates on Punitive Damages
The civil case against the Infowars host showcased how Jones' viral conspiracy theories inflicted real-world harm to the bereaved families of the Sandy Hook massacre. However, CNN reported that the $4 million in compensatory damages was far less than what the plaintiffs asked for originally.
Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, parents of 6-year-old Jesse, sued Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems, for at least $150 million in compensatory damages back in 2018. Jurors voted first to determine how much Jones should be ordered to pay and arrived at over $4 million.
However, there will be another trial for punitive damages. The jurors will decide if the family is awarded additional money for punitive damages, and if they are, how much Jones would have to pay in addition to the $4 million he has to pay, according to CBS News.
The attorneys representing the parents released a statement saying they are thrilled with the result and will put the money to good use. The statement then added that Jones will not sleep easy, as there is still the punitive damages hearing, as well as multiple other defamation lawsuits from other parents still pending,
According to CBS News, Judge Guerra Gamble, who is overseeing the case, as well as the other defamation lawsuits against Jones in Texas, issued a default judgment last fall. She found that the infamous conspiracy theorist and his Infowars program are liable for defamation and emotional distress. She found that the harassment of the families of the Sandy Hook victims, including Heslin and Lewis, directly resulted from Jones' conspiracy theories, which he presented on his program.
Alex Jones Admits in Court That Sandy Hook Massacre Did Happen After Confronted With Evidence That He Lied
One of the biggest conspiracy theories presented by Jones was that the Sandy Hook tragedy was a staged event, and everyone involved was just crisis actors. These conspiracy theories, which he presented to the public via his Infowars program, led to the harassment of the victims' family members.
For years, Jones claimed in court that he had searched his phones for texts regarding Sandy Hook. However, a lawyer for the families has presented evidence that Jones perjured himself. This came after his lawyer accidentally sent Jones' phone records to the opposing counsel, according to the New York Times.
The texts revealed more evidence against Jones, who was visibly uncomfortable when confronted with the evidence. After the confrontation in court, Alex Jones finally admitted that he 100 percent believes that the Sandy Hook massacre is real and that the murder of the 26 people, including 20 children, was not staged.
Currently, Jones is facing multiple lawsuits and other court battles, including one for his involvement in planning the January 6 Capitol insurrection. He previously lost several other lawsuits relating to Sandy Hook.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Lawyer Asks Alex Jones if He Knows What 'Perjury' Is After Surprise Text Message Reveal - Law&Crime Network
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