Listening to the panel verdict of InfoWars ’ Alex Jones defamation trial in Connecticut was like see a bell shape bell . Over and over , each descent read was like a stake being stabbed into a bloodsucking vampire ’s mettle : “ $ 120 million , ” “ $ 55 million , ” “ $ 54 million , $ 28,800,000 … ” each of the 15 private members on the plaintiff ’s side of the courtroom looking stoically in the lead or set up their head in their hands as the total were read out . The Sandy Hook families have argue they and their family abide huge emotional grief from Jones perpetuating the lie that their children did not die at the manpower of a hired gun while at school day tight to 10 long time ago .
And that was just the compensatory harm . After all the number were tallied up , Jones now faces $ 965 million in damages to the eight families of Sandy Hook victims and one FBI federal agent who respond to the scene .
In the past , Jones had routinely call the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting a hoax , a “ false flag surgical process , ” and further take that the 20 children who died in the carnage were crisis actors trying to progress a character against lawful hit man possessor . He afterward resile that interpretation in court , at one pointadmitting thatthe shooting was “ 100 % existent . ”
Alex Jones now faces about $1 billion in damages for his lies told on his Info Wars podcast about the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. He told his avid listeners “do these people actually think they’re getting any of this money?”Photo: Joe Buglewicz (Getty Images)
During the trial , the victims ’ family testified they had suffered utmost emotional suffering thanks to Jones ’ follower , include online death and rape threats . Mark Barden , who ’s son Daniel died during the shooting , told the court that confederacy theoriser had told him they were tarnish his son ’s grave , “ urinating on it and threaten to comprehend it up . ”
Barden was awarded $ 57.6 million in compensatory damages . Robbie Parker , whose girl Emilie was also killed at Sandy Hook , stomach so much vitriol and abuse from Jones ’ followers he enounce he had to move3,000 statute mile off . Parker was awarded $ 120 million in compensatory terms , the largest identification number of all the plaintiffs .
Alex Jones was resilient during the finding of fact reading where he told his throng of fawning listeners : “ Do these mass actually think they ’re getting any of this money ? ” Jones also yell the finding of fact a “ joke ” and say he will appeal , adding he can “ keep them in court of justice for years . ”NBCalso reported that Jones ’ lawyer said they also be after to invoke .
Of course , a big reason why Jones lost this shell in the first place was because a judge ruledhe neglect to produce decisive evidencebefore the run began . He was find liable for damages by default , which is practically unheard of in the judicial system .
How Does This Verdict Compare to Past Alex Jones Defamation Trials?
The bombshell penalties make Jones’previous defamation caseearlier this year seem paltry by comparison . In the that guinea pig , a Texas tourist court fin Jones $ 49.3 million for his lies . To put that in position , all but oneof the complainant in the Connecticut are set to receive payout orotund than the Texas fine . Jones made a brief , but surprisingappearanceduring that trial only to predictably rag what he refer to as a “ kangaroo court . ” The jurist reportedly had toreprimandJones like a scratchy child after he interrupted proceedings to call the tribulation a “ witch hunt . ”
In the Connecticut type , prosecutors accused Jones of using his perceive credibility amongst his InfoWars audience to sell an smorgasbord of haywire supplements , dick contraceptive pill , and other products . That viewership , and economic welfare that go bad along with it , allegedly increased follow Jones ’s rearing lies . In a plait , Jones turn away to turn over InfoWars ’ Google analytics data point from the past three years for reasons unknown . Barbara Bellis , the jurist overseeing the casing , sanctioned Jones and , reportedlycalled the omission , “ spectacularly cavalier . ” Jones was absentminded during the trial .
Jones went to great lengths to try and forfend paying up for his lies . Back in April , thealleged day - drinkerfiled for chapter 11 bankruptcy — also known as “ reorganization bankruptcy”—for three of his Texas based companies . A Union failure evaluator in Texasorderednew officials to oversee Jones ’ InfoWars bankruptcy case last month citing a lack of transparence . Though the exact economic value of Jones ’ entranceway remains unclear , court documentsobtained byThe Huffington Post suggest InfoWars rake in $ 165 million in gross revenue from September 2015 to the goal of 2018 .
As the jury reads the damages and the Sandy Hook parent cry , Alex Jones is on his programme , laughing and assuring his audience that he wo n’t actually be paying any of this money .
" Do these citizenry actually think they ’re getting any of this money?“pic.twitter.com / k9brmHaBWC
— Brandy Zadrozny ( @BrandyZadrozny)October 12 , 2022
Whether or not Jones will actually wilfully scrounge together the about $ 1 billion he now owe remain unsealed . Jones , in typical fashion , reacted to the judge ’s ruling on InfoWars in real fourth dimension by shout and taunt the unnatural families . “ Do these multitude really think they ’re fetch any of this money ? ” he reportedly said .
Alex JonesDanielDefamationInfoWarsLaw , CrimeSandy Hook
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