The Case Against Alex Jones; Is He Worth $200 Million or negative $20 Million
The families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school mass shooting in 2012 are in a Texas courtroom in a trial that started July 26 seeking to collect on a defamation lawsuit default judgement filed against Alex Jones, and his Infowars show and affiliated company, Free Speech Systems, LLC.
The judgement came after Jones said repeatedly after the 2012 shooting, which resulted in eight people killed, that the incident did not happen, and was a hoax, to get the government to pass gun control legislation.
The current court case will determine what dollar amount the families of the victims from Sandy Hook are entitled to. The families attorney, Mark Bankston, put a number out for the Judge and jury to consider: $150 Million, based on his estimation of $1 for each person who believed Jones’ hoax, (75 million) and $75 million in mental anguish compensation.
“Harm that was done to the parents, grieving parents of murdered children who have had to endure for 10 years, the most despicable and vile campaign of defamation and slander in American history,” said Bankston.
The Sandy Hook families claim that they have endured threats and harassment from Jones’ listeners who believed his claims that the shooting never happened.
Bankston is also trying to get a verdict against Jones that will be so severe that it will prevent broadcasters, podcasters and the media to think twice before uttering claims like Jones’ again in the public square.
Travis County Judge Maya Gamble told the jurors, “We are not here to determine whether Mr. Jones or Free Speech Systems defamed or intentionally inflicted emotional distress on Mr. Heslin or Ms. Lewis. The court has already found that they have committed these actions.”
The jury’s job is to determine the amount of money the parents are owed in damages, and how much money should be awarded to punish Jones for his phony claims.
Jones, through his attorneys, is claiming poverty and that he has a worth of negative $20 million. But one of the court records in this case shows that during a four year period, from 2015-2018, the Infowars store that Jones owned and operated sold survival gear and nutritional supplements to his listeners, and he cashed in, with more than $165 Million in sales.
Jones called the previous court decision against him coming from a “kangaroo court,” and recently appeared with boxer Mike Tyson on his ‘Banned Video’ show smoking a marijuana-blunt with Tyson, clearly indicating that he has no remorse, and that he is within his First Amendment rights to make the false claims that he did.
Once a judgement is redered, Jones is almost certain to appeal.
