A jury finds Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay $45.2 million in punitive damages

[BumRushDaShow]

A jury finds Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay $45.2 million in punitive damages to the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim

CNN Digital Expansion 2018, BRIAN STELTER

By Brian Stelter, CNN Business
Updated 5:58 PM ET, Fri August 5, 2022

New York (CNN Business)A Texas jury has decided to penalize Alex Jones with $45.2 million in punitive damages in a lawsuit filed by the parents of Sandy Hook shooting victim Jesse Lewis. The award, which the judge could reduce, came one day after the jury settled on $4.1 million in compensatory damages.

The jurors began deliberating around 12:30 pm CT on Friday, after Judge Maya Guerra Gamble reminded them that in a default judgment against him Jones was already found liable for defamation and "intentional infliction of emotional distress" against Lewis' parents, Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin. In an emotional closing argument Friday, Lewis and Heslin's attorney Wesley Todd Ball said to the jury, "We ask that you send a very very simple message, and that is, stop Alex Jones. Stop the monetization of misinformation and lies. Please."

Ball urged the jurors to "deter Alex Jones from ever doing this awfulness again" and "to deter others who may want to step into his shoes." Jones' attorney, Federico Andino Reynal, argued for a far lower sum, suggesting that the jurors should multiply Jones' purported earnings per hour of $14,000 and the 18 hours that he said Jones talked about Sandy Hook on Infowars, for a sum of around a quarter million dollars. On Thursday, in the first phase of the trial, the jury awarded the parents $4.1 million in compensatory damages, a far smaller amount than the $150 million the parents' attorneys had sought.

In his closing argument, Ball thanked the jury for their decision to award the $4.1 million, saying it had already made a huge difference in the parents' lives, and asked them to award enough in punitive damages to bring the total to $150 million. Punitive damages are a form of punishment for a defendant's behavior. Jones, the head of the conspiratorial media outlet Infowars, repeatedly lied about the Sandy Hook massacre. He stoked conspiracy theories about the victims and their families, prompting multiple defamation lawsuits. He has since acknowledged that the mass shooting occurred.

It's a start!

[Evergreen Emerald]

1. Unfortunately it will be reduced.

In Texas, punitive damages may not exceed more than two times the amount of economic damages plus the amount equal to non-economic damages not to exceed $750,000 or $200,000, whichever is greater.

[Meowmee]

2. I am not sure why they sued in Texas

Since it is apparenty going to be reduced very dramatically.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. That's where he he lives and broadcasts from

And I think these 2 families were aiming at his business, which is located there (although there has been the bankruptcy thing going on that was initially dropped and then re-instituted again). There is also a case going in Connecticut but this was the first case to come up for trial.

[Meowmee]

7. Thanks

Yes I heard that later. He was on air saying he was intentionally going bankrupt and hiding assets etc. So it would have made more sense to sue elsewhere if possible. But there are many other suits elsewhere like you said so maybe those won’t be reduced so much but they can still be appealed.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. You're welcome! He's screwed.

He may end up with criminal charges (perjury) among other things (apparently he was communicating with Roger Stone and the J6 Committee now has his entire phone record and I expect DOJ does too). The lawyers for these 2 Sandy Hook families mentioned that "various federal agencies" and "law enforcement" had requested the cell phone contents that he had and he would be handing it over "as soon as the hearing was over".

[Meowmee]

9. Sounds like it

But as always I will believe it when it happens 😀

[2naSalit]

3. Don't get discouraged...

There are more suits coming in Connecticut, where much more damage can be done to Mr. Jones. The rules are bit different there.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. Plaintiffs are going to challenge cap on punitive damages

Link to tweet

[msfiddlestix]

6. Indeed, it's a start. after 10 years, I hope what started is a great big old avalanche

a Blizzard as topping, sends that evil cretin to the poor house and everything ripped away from him.