Alex Jones was ordered by a jury to pay $45.2 million in punitive damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting in a defamation case. According to the Wall Street Journal, the court claims that Jones went “beyond the norms” in his claims.
“Beyond the norms?”
Mr. Jones said his business could not survive more than $2 million in damages.
You don’t have to condone Mr. Jones’s comments, and you can feel tremendous sympathy for the parents, but the judge would not allow free speech as a defense. That’s a problem.
According to Insider, a lawyer for two Sandy Hook parents told the jury, “Take him out.”
“Take him out of this discourse of this misinformation, of this peddling of lies and make sure he can’t do it again,” attorney Wesley Ball said of the far-right conspiracy theorist during his closing arguments in the punitive damages phase of Jones’ defamation damages trial.
“I ask that with your verdict, you not only take Alex Jones’ platform away, you make certain he will not rebuild the platform,” he added. “That is punishment. That is deterrence.”
The verdict follows a separate $4.1 million award granted by the same jury on Thursday for actual damages.
This case is the first of two more seeking damages for statements Jones and his staff made after the shooting. He claimed that Sandy Hook was a false flag operation and the parents were paid actors. The purpose, he said, was to enforce gun control and other leftist goals.
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The Sandy Hook parents claimed they received death threats as a result, and one phone message was played during the trial. Thus the defamation.
Mr. Jones has said, at least for the past six years, that Sandy Hook was 100% real. He has apologized.
Mr. Jones has said he will likely ask an appeals court to overturn or reduce the damages award.
Sandy Hook parents also hit on the 2nd Amendment over their horrible loss.
Jones dealt with it on his website. Jones said the judge didn’t allow Jones to testify today and wouldn’t allow his attorney to testify. He also said he is in bankruptcy. Jones said he would discuss the punitive damages today on his show, but we don’t have the time for that show.
Elijah Schaeffer, a reporter for The Blaze, thinks it’s a problem for all of us.
Alex Jones is a martyr pic.twitter.com/9X1gSwmKBt
— Elijah Schaffer (@ElijahSchaffer) August 5, 2022
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