Approximately $50 million defamation judgment against Alex Jones over years of lies about Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is far from a simple calculation.
Jones' attorneys have appealed and plan to reduce the price a Texas jury placed on the false allegations . Twenty students died in the nation's deadliest school shooting. And six teachers—was a hoax. Conspiracy theorists face bankruptcy and other defamation lawsuits. And the actions of Jones and his attorneys in court have put Infowars organizers at risk, including potential sanctions, perjury allegations and renewed scrutiny in the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot investigation. You exposed yourself to new legal risks.
Impact of lawsuit won against Jones by the parents of one of his children who were killed in the December 14, 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Let's see.
The amount and amount that Jones will pay.
Last week, a Travis County jury ordered Jones to pay Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis his $4.1 million in damages. It was their rendition to tighten gun control that killed his six-year-old son, Jesse Lewis. The jury also awarded $45.2 million in punitive damages against Jones, and the total fine was less than the $150 million that the couple had sought. It's now about a third.
This is the first time Jones has been held financially responsible for repeatedly claiming that Sandy's hook shooting was fabricated. Lewis said after the trial that Jones was held responsible. His attorney plans to appeal and seek mitigation of damages.
Legal Experts Say Jones would probably not pay full price.
In most civil cases, Texas law defines the amount a defendant must pay as "exemplary" or punitive damages as "economical." The amount is limited to twice the "damage" plus an upper limit. to $750,000. But jurors aren't told about this cap, and eye-popping verdicts are often hacked by judges.
Austin attorney Russ Houghton said it was "virtually certain" that damages against Jones would be reduced to comply with the law by an appeals court or trial judge. said.
A judge in Virginia did just that in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard. Under a cap similar to Texas law, a judge in July ruled her $10 million in compensatory damages that a jury awarded Depp to her. reduced to $350,000.
The amount Jones could pay is also debated.
He testified that a $2 million-plus ruling would "sink us" and the Free Speech System (Infowars' Austin-based parent company) filed for bankruptcy in the first week of the trial. applied for protection.
However, economist Bernard Pettingill testifies that Jones and his company are worth up to $270 million. He said Jones withdrew $62 million from his company in 2021.
Since the ruling, Jones has been urging his Infowars supporters to buy the nutritional supplements, survival gear, and other products he sells, continuing the show and the legal battle. says it needs funding.
"If they can't get solvency and enough money to get out of this bankruptcy, they will appoint a trustee and start selling the equipment," he said Monday. rice field.
Perjury.
A major legal dispute will ensue before the Infowars studio is sold for parts. But Jones has more immediate risks that could increase his legal costs.
Jones appeared to have told at least one lie while he was on the witness stand, but his parents' lawyers who sued him said from Jones' mobile phone. He revealed that he had a digital copy of the text and other content.A message containing correspondence regarding Sandy Hook was inadvertently emailed by one of Jones' attorneys to plaintiffs' attorneys.
Jones attempted to ignore his revelation on cross-examination, mocking the opposing attorney and denying he had lied. But legal experts say the episode could put Jones under perjury.
Criminal charges of perjury are rare and difficult to prove. But Jones' prominence may make him an attractive target, especially in liberal Austin.
"It's hard to imagine a state prosecutor going after someone for perjury in a civil case," said Benson Varghese, an attorney in Fort Worth, Texas. "Jones is slightly more likely given the high-profile case." They are frequently prosecuted and face prison sentences of up to 10 years.
A spokesman for the Travis County District Attorney's Office dealing with potential criminal charges against Jones declined to comment.
Sanctions.
Even if prosecutors do not pursue the case, Jones could face further consequences from Judge Maya Guerra Gamble.
Prior to the trial, attorneys for his parents who sued Jones filed a motion asking the judge to sanction Jones for failing to produce evidence. Gamble is set to take that move.
And in court, Gamble repeatedly advised Jones to tell the truth.
At one point, she kicked the jury out of the room, and she scolded him for telling the jury that she had not followed the collection of evidence before the trial. And the judge further reprimanded him for testifying that he was bankrupt, which was not decided by the court and sparked outrage from lawyers opposing Jones.
"This is not your show," Gamble told Jones. "Your beliefs don't make anything true. You are taking an oath."
Judges have wide discretion to set sanctions, including fines, imprisonment and other punishments - but seeing them imposed is Rarely.
Her parents' attorney, Avi Moshenberg, declined to say whether her parents would seek other sanctions, but said, "There were some complications during the trial. It is certain," he said.
Jones' attorney, Andino Reynal, did not respond to a request for comment.
Jones and Yang. 6 Investigation
Jones' attorney accidentally passed his text his message in this case, overturning Joe Biden's victory in Congress on January 6, 2021. He will come under further scrutiny from the House committee investigating the Capitol riot that he did. presidential election.
The commission, which has spent months demonstrating how former President Donald Trump relentlessly pushed false allegations of election fraud, subpoenaed Jones to testify. And the chairman of the committee accused him of helping organize a rally near the Capitol in advance of the riot.
Lawmakers now reportedly have Jones texts
Mark Bankston, the attorney for the parents suing Jones , submitted his two years' worth of Jones' messages to the Commission. CNN reported on Monday, citing an unnamed person familiar with the matter. Bankston told the Associated Press that he "is cooperating with the committee," but declined to comment further.
On Tuesday's show, Jones downplayed the importance of the message. He wore a bathing suit sent to Roger his Stone, aide to Trump, who was also summoned from the Commission on January 6. showed a photo of his wife and the message said otherwise. t does not include anything after April 2020.
"Six months of limited text," said Jones. "It's part of my phone."
Other incidents
Prior to the trial in Austin, Jones was sent to Texas and Connecticut for Sandy his hook victim. was accused in another defamation lawsuit filed by a relative of
Another of his lawsuits in Texas was brought by Leonardo Posner and Veronique de la Rosa. His son Noah died in the shooting. The Connecticut lawsuit is bigger because it consolidates his three lawsuits filed by 15 plaintiffs, a former FBI agent who corresponded to the school, and relatives of her nine Sandy Hook victims. A ruling may be handed down.
In that case, a Connecticut jury would decide whether Jones' debts were harmed, although the law there might also limit the amount he would have to pay. .
In both cases, damages trials begin next month was scheduled to be But their progress has been complicated by the process by which Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy protection in July,freezing pending litigation.
Austin attorney Houghton said the Free Speech System could file a lawsuit against Jones personally while it is in bankruptcy court, and the Chapter 11 filing would allow it to be filed in bankruptcy court. warned that it would give powerful powers to investigate Jones' finances.
"If you have something to hide, bankruptcy is no place to hide," Horton said.