US jury orders Alex Jones to pay another US$45 million for Sandy Hook lies
- The sum for punitive damages comes on top of the US$4.1 million earlier awarded to parents of a victim in the 2012 massacre, which Jones had called a hoax
- The Infowars owner is expected to return to court in August, where further damages are expected to be rewarded in connection to two other Sandy Hook lawsuits
A Texas jury on Friday ordered Alex Jones to pay US$45.2 million in punitive damages to the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim, a day after he was ordered to pay US$4.1 million in actual damages for claiming that the school shooting was a hoax.
The two awards total nearly US$50 million, well below the US$150 million that parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis sought for the InfoWars host’s assertions that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, was fabricated. Their six-year-old, Jesse Lewis, was killed in the shooting.
“I am asking you to take the bullhorn away from Alex Jones and all others who believe they can profit off fear and misinformation,” plaintiffs’ lawyer Wesley Ball said during closing arguments on Friday.
“I suggest to you to return a verdict that is proportionate,” Jones’ lawyer Andino Reynal said during his own closing, asking jurors to order just US$270,000 in punitive damages.
“You’ve already sent a message. A message for the first time to a talk show host, to all talk show hosts, that their standard of care has to change.”
Friday’s unanimous ruling closes the two-week trial in Travis County, Texas.