The Connecticut Appellate Court recently upheld a $965 million verdict against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, confirming that there was enough evidence to support the damages awarded to the families of victims from the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and an FBI agent. The court said the families faced threats and harassment due to Jones’ false claims that the massacre was a hoax.
The $965 million verdict is the largest in Connecticut’s history. However, the court did reduce the total amount by $150 million. It ruled that the plaintiffs did not properly claim a violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, so the $150 million in additional punitive damages was removed.
Jones’ attorney, Norm Pattis, expressed disappointment, stating that the jury was misled and blamed Jones for all the harm caused to the families. He plans to ask the Connecticut Supreme Court to review the decision.
Including earlier rulings, Jones now owes nearly $1.2 billion in damages, including the $965 million to the Sandy Hook families and almost $50 million from a Texas lawsuit filed by the parents of a child killed in the massacre. Jones filed for bankruptcy in 2022, and a court is currently reviewing the sale of his Infowars platform.
The Sandy Hook families’ lawyers celebrated the decision, calling it a victory and an important step toward justice. The court also found that Jones and his company, Infowars, were rightly held responsible for damages due to their failure to follow court rules regarding evidence sharing.