Alex Jones ordered to pay an additional $473 million to Sandy Hook families – By Daniella Silva (NBC News) / Nov 10, 2022
“The record clearly supports the plaintiffs’ argument that the defendants’ conduct was intentional and malicious, ” the judge wrote.
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his company were ordered Thursday to pay an additional $473 million in punitive damages to families of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre over promoting the falsehood that the 2012 school shooting was a hoax.
The order is part of a Connecticut lawsuit brought against Jones and his company Free Speech Systems Jones for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of the state Unfair Trade Practices Act. The plaintiffs testified in court that Jones profited off his lies that the school shooting never happened while they were harassed and abused by those who believed him.
Thursday’s order, imposed by Connecticut Judge Barabara Bellis, is in addition to the $965 million jurors last month ordered Jones to pay to the families of the shooting victims and an FBI agent who responded to the attack for the suffering he caused them by spreading the lies on his platforms, including his show Infowars, about the massacre.
“The record clearly supports the plaintiffs’ argument that the defendants’ conduct was intentional and malicious, and certain to cause harm by virtue of their infrastructure, ability to spread content, and massive audience including the ‘infowarriors,’” Bellis wrote in a 45-page ruling.
