Alex Jones must pay $4.1 million in compensatory damages to Sandy Hook parents

Right-wing lunatic and fascist conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has gotten absolutely reamed in court. The Sandy Hook families sued him over the lies Alex told about the elementary school shooting in 2012. Jones has said for years that Sandy Hook was a government op and that the Sandy Hook families are lying about their dead children. During the trial and damages-phase of the court proceedings, Jones committed multiple acts of perjury because he didn’t realize that his lawyer had “accidentally” sent the plaintiff’s lawyer years of data from Jones’s phone. On Thursday, the jury came back with a number for compensatory damages for the Sandy Hook families. Later today, the jury will have a number on punitive damages.

Infowars founder Alex Jones must pay $4.1 million in compensatory damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the Sandy Hook mass shooting, an Austin jury announced Thursday, after the right-wing conspiracy theorist’s false claims that the deadliest elementary school shooting in U.S. history was a “giant hoax” created a “living hell” for the family.

The decision means Jones, America’s foremost purveyor of outlandish conspiracy theories, could pay less than the $150 million sought by Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, for remarks nearly a decade ago after the massacre in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26 people, 20 of them young children.

But it remains to be seen how much Jones, 48, might be ordered to pay in punitive damages. The jury is expected to return Friday to weigh that amount — a sum that could be considerably higher. While the damages awarded to Jesse’s parents Thursday acknowledge the suffering they endured, punitive damages can be levied to punish a defendant and prevent future abuse.

“Punitive damages are the opportunity for the jurors to send a message,” said trial consultant Jill Huntley Taylor, who was not involved in the case.

“Neil and Scarlett are thrilled with the result and look forward to putting Mr. Jones’s money to good use,” said Mark Bankston, a lawyer for the parents. “With punitive damages still to be decided and multiple additional defamation lawsuits pending, it is clear that Mr. Jones’s time on the American stage is finally coming to an end.”

[From WaPo]

Yes, I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in the idea that the jury could low-ball the punitive damages. My guess is that punitive damages are going to be a lot closer to what the Lewis family has asked for ($150 million) as opposed to what Jones says he can pay. Plus, with the phone records, the Sandy Hook families can now follow Jones’s financials, especially all of the various schemes he’s set up to hide his assets. I will update when we get a number on punitive damages.

Hilariously, Jones’s lawyer “accidentally” leaking the phone records may be the tipping point moment across the board. The Lewis family’s lawyer says he will turn over Jones’s phone records to the January 6th Committee “immediately.” Jones’s phone records also reportedly include “intimate messages” with Roger Stone. I imagine Jones had communications with powerful Republicans too.

Update: The jury awarded $45.2 million in punitive damages to the Lewis family. And there are more lawsuits to come.

Screencaps from Alex Jones’s trial stream, MCNBC.

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49 Responses to “Alex Jones must pay $4.1 million in compensatory damages to Sandy Hook parents”

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  1. Genevieve says:

    And this is just compensatory damages—punitive damages will put the total much higher. Good. He could never repay enough for all the damage done.

    • Kate says:

      When I saw this number yesterday I was disappointed, not realizing it wasn’t the total amount. Fingers crossed they destroy him, as you say nothing will be enough to make up for the suffering these families and the Sandy Hook community have endured.

    • sunny says:

      This! It is beyond disgusting what he put those families through and the consequences of his deliberate lies led to their continued suffering. What a manipulative, craven, pathetic piece of garbage.

      • Aitana says:

        Yes indeed. This guy is nothing but a big fat, bloated bully who’s finally getting his comeuppance. So glad to finally see @ least one conservative bast*#d getting their due. Wish it’d happen more often.

    • Maida says:

      I’ve been seeing different takes from attorneys about the potential for the punitive damages in this case. Apparently Texas limits punitive damages to two times the compensatory damages (so $8 million), but then another attorney says that limit can be lifted sometimes. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. Bottom line is that no amount of money could possibly compensate these parents for the hell they have (and are) going through.

    • kirk says:

      TGIF. $45M compensatory is less than asked.
      According to Texas Tribune, “Bernard Pettingill, an economic expert, testified Friday that Jones was paid $18 million from 2015-18 by his main company, Free Speech Systems. He said Jones was paid $61.9 million in 2021, when he was found liable for defamation in two Sandy Hook cases.

      Pettingill estimated that Jones’ net worth, combined with the net worth of Free Speech Systems, ranges from $135 million to $270 million.”

      Here’s to hoping others will swoop in to completely ream that a-hole, and to discover any other hidey holes he set up. Understand he will appeal, but multiple lawsuits should help wipe him. His lawyers are making sure he keeps up.

      • kirk says:

        Correction: $45M punitive. Anyhow, assuming his lawyers are making sure he’s paid up with them. They’ve already ‘accidentally’ released his phone contents and didn’t claim any privilege when given opportunity. Crazy.

  2. Stacey Dresden says:

    This alleged human is the worst kind of scum there is

  3. Southern Fried says:

    Intimate messages with Roger Stone > Andrew Wortman tweeted “this has to be the grossest breaking news in modern political history”
    Agree, uck & yuck

  4. Seaflower says:

    The “finding out” after “f**king around” has been delicious to watch. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving person.

    • Liz Version 700k says:

      💯 I have enjoyed watching this ego wrapped in a shell of bike walk through the finding out part immensely.

  5. KFG says:

    That’s it?! I want him completely broke and living in a box.

    • Linabear says:

      My thoughts exactly.

      They said Jones made almost 1 million a DAY (I believe the number was $700,000) from his Sandy Hook conspiracy videos.

      • schmootc says:

        Seriously? Who watches that crap? WHO?!! I just can’t imagine getting up in the morning and saying to myself, self, let’s watch some videos by this blowhole about how a school shooting during which many, many young children died is a conspiracy.

  6. girl_ninja says:

    His victims should get ALL of his money. Period.

    • Liz Version 700k says:

      Every penny shown in the hidden bank accounts handed over to the Sandy Hook attorney

    • Truthiness says:

      Absolutely. Every last cent because he earned it on their suffering. He lit a fire on their pain and made money of it. Plus his vulgar actions in court TO THEM dragged their pain over the coals some more.I wish jail was an option because he’s going right back on the air to lie.

      I hope DOJ can use this f-ker’s texts and that Roger Stone sees consequences for once. That pardoned mf was THE linchpin to the Proud Boys.

  7. Lolo86lf says:

    How they are going to squeeze the money out of him remains to be seen. Both parties might reach an agreement for 2 or 3 million dollars instead of dragging this through the court system for years, in any case HE LOST and it couldn’t have happened to a bigger asshole.

  8. ElleE says:

    OMG the “intimate” messages to and from Roger Stone?

    The lawyer said they are not confidential so they should be all over Twitter next week.

    Dandy Stone doesn’t care as he proudly swings both ways, but Jones? Bet that is something he cares about,

    • Truthiness says:

      I suspect the damages won’t be high enough to impoverish this mf, but if there is Jan 6 details, and twitter does its thing there is the opportunity to damage Trump. No headshot but the blows are finally landing.

  9. K says:

    He deserves prison. I am so curious about his texts and who he was intimate with. I suspect Ginni Thomas might be on that list. I hope they all go down. Using the horrific deaths of kids to make money online from fellow wack jobs and put more evil liars in power. My god.

    • pottymouthpup says:

      they allegedly also found child porn in the records accidentally sent to Bankston so jail time is a strong possibility

    • HoofRat says:

      Ginni Thomas?
      *crosses fingers* ohpleaseohpleaseohplease

  10. TheOriginalMia says:

    I cannot wait for the punitive damages. What this monster and his followers have done to the Sandy Hook parents is abominable, unconscionable and cruel. They couldn’t mourn their children properly. They’ve had no peace. I hope they bankrupt his ass and the Jan 6 committee throws his butt in jail.

    • pottymouthpup says:

      even now, he’s not really taking any responsibility for his actions. In the video he posted after the verdict was announced, he admitted that he lied & spread disinformation but also said it wasn’t his fault that he did it. I hope that bites him in the ass

    • Emm says:

      Texas code:
      “Sec. 41.008. LIMITATION ON AMOUNT OF RECOVERY.
      (a) In an action in which a claimant seeks recovery of damages, the trier of fact shall determine the amount of economic damages separately from the amount of other compensatory damages.
      (b) Exemplary damages awarded against a defendant may not exceed an amount equal to the greater of:
      (1)(A) two times the amount of economic damages; plus
      (B) an amount equal to any noneconomic damages found by the jury, not to exceed $750,000; o
      (2) $200,000.”

      If the award yesterday was non-economic, punitive is capped at $750,000.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        Emm, he was a child so what economic damage could there be? They couldn’t use when the child would have become an adult, because that money would be the child/adult’s and not the parents.

        I hope this video is used by the other parents who are suing him. There’s a good chance that Jones won’t have a dime to his name when all is said and done.

  11. Colby says:

    While I am excited for this big number, I am just a little cautious of celebrating. He’s had enough time to move his money around and hide it in LLCs and off shore. Regardless of the number, I wonder if it will impact him.

    I would love to be wrong – can any attorneys chime in?

    • Juniper says:

      I’m no lawyer, but I read that all his shady dealings were in those text messages as well as his intent, so his LLCs are invalid or something like that. His ex-wife’s lawyer also requested the records for this reason.

  12. Mslove says:

    This man knowingly & proudly lied to make money off the horrific deaths of children. Whatever monies he has to pay out, it won’t be enough.

    • HoofRat says:

      Didn’t a couple of the parents die by suicide? You’re absolutely right, Mslove, it will never be enough.

  13. Eleonor says:

    I think even his lawyers hate him

  14. dina says:

    No amount is enough at this point, but I hope they bankrupt him for real. This guy is absolute trash.

  15. Katie says:

    Sadly, I think collecting the money from this man will be a nightmare.

    • TwinFalls says:

      Probably so but they can lien and sue him and hound him and remind him what a lying trash loser he is and always will be. I doubt the money was point. It was making him stop, proving he was a liar instigating violence and that these acts won’t continue to go unpunished.

  16. Mila says:

    Good! Hope he ends up with nothing! Waste of space!

  17. schmootc says:

    I have watched a few clips of him in the courtroom and wow, this guy. It’s like he doesn’t even know how to tell the truth anymore. He’s so used to opening his mouth and spouting nonsense that having multiple people in a room asking him questions/expecting him to testify truthfully is an unprecedented event. He’s a creepy, awful, little worm.

    • BeanieBean says:

      It was kinda fun. He’s so used to spouting whatever vile drivel into a microphone, unchallenged, that when he got challenged in court he got red-faced, a deer-in-the-headlights, and totally stupefied look on his face. I’d love to see trump subjected to that. Any one of that crime family.

  18. His lawyer said not today satan my client is trash and he is gonna pay

  19. AppleCart says:

    Apparently the ex-wife wasn’t aware he earned about 150 million selling his snake oil to dummies. She is going after him again also.

    I hope he loses everything.

  20. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    Ha! 45.2 million.

    • Tara says:

      I just saw that, and I’m annoyed that the number is so low, but this is the settlement for only one family, right?

      I think he’s dealing with at least two or three other separate lawsuits where damages will be awarded.

      Take everything from this dangerous terrorist.

      • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

        He’s got money somewhere that hideous piece of…….

      • Mila says:

        Yep this is just Jesse Lewis’ parents. As far as I know there’s at least 2-3 other suits from families coming his way! BURNNNNN

      • Tara says:

        Well thanks to the incompetence of his lawyers, the powers that be will find wherever he has money stashed.

        And next will come criminal charges from the DOJ, after the January 6th committee goes through 2 years of his texts and communications to overthrow the government with a fine tooth comb

      • Truthiness says:

        Please dear God, let every family sue this parboiled obese manlet so that the damages add up to something career ending. Roger Stone is already appearing and asking for $ for Jones. This merry band of seditionist criminals are now looking like a Batman movie.

  21. Moo says:

    He is 48?!

  22. tuille says:

    Roger Stone, a Trump buddy, has started an appeal for crowdfunding to help this A.H. pay for this. Creeps.