Jury finds Alex Jones caused $4 million in damages to two Sandy Hook parents

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Business

New York (CNN Business)Right-wing talk show host Alex Jones will have to pay the parents of a Sandy Hook shooting victim a little more than $4 million in compensatory damages, a jury decided Thursday, capping a stunning and dramatic case that showcased for the public the real-world harm inflicted by viral conspiracy theories.

The plaintiffs, Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, had asked for $150 million in compensatory damages to be awarded when the trial started.
A separate, shorter trial during which punitive damages will be discussed is now expected. Punitive damages are awarded when the court finds the defendant's behavior to be especially offensive.

The decision from the jury is a partial ending to a years-long process that began in 2018 when Lewis and Heslin sued Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, which is the parent of the right-wing media organization Infowars. Jones baselessly said in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting, in which 26 people were killed, that the incident was staged. Facing multiple lawsuits, Jones later acknowledged the shooting occurred. He testified in court this week that he now believed it to be "100% real."

But Jones failed to comply with court orders during the discovery process of the lawsuit. His failure to do so led to Heslin and Lewis winning default judgments judgements against Jones. Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled in October that Jones was legally responsible for inflicting emotional distress on Heslin and Lewis. Gamble also ruled that Jones was liable for defaming Heslin. The decision to punish Jones in such terms also marks a seismic moment in American society, where the lies and conspiracy theories have flourished in recent years.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/04/media/alex-jones-trial-sandy-hook-decision/index.html

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EDIT TO NOTE - Please see the replies in the thread regarding what THIS judgement "means". I.e., the difference between "compensatory damages" and "punitive damages" and possible outcomes in the next phase.

[bill]

1. $$$$$

Not nearly enough IMHO

[Bev54]

23. I am hoping they will get a far greater amount for punitive n/t

[cannabis_flower]

58. To be realistic ...

I don’t think Jones has deep enough pockets to ever be able to pay $150 million dollars.

According to this website, his net worth is $10 million.

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/alex-jones-net-worth/

Although it’s not nearly enough, they might actually get the money.

[rurallib]

2. Lying mother fucker got off easy.

This will not send the message it needs to send.

[wiggs]

3. punitve damages still to be determined. 4 million is for actual cost of damage, I believe. nt

[LonePirate]

5. Yes he did. That's less than 3% of the requested amount.

This trial went very, very badly for him so there must have been some on the jury pool who thought he never should have been found guilty in the first place.

One can only hope the punitive damages are much, much larger as he will indeed his continue his reign of terror.

[vsrazdem]

7. The punitive damages will be higher. Its not over yet.

In tort law, compensatory damages, also known as actual damages, are damages awarded by a court equivalent to the loss a party suffered.

Punitive damages are considered punishment and are typically awarded at the court's discretion when the defendant's behavior is found to be especially harmful.

[rurallib]

8. I hope they can fully bankrupt him.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. That's for one family

This may set a precedent for others to get compensation. And then there's the punitive damages on top. With luck, it will all be enough to properly bankrupt him, and he won't be able to use dubious ruses to get round it.

[appmanga]

46. That's the only reason...

...why I hope this jury doesn't overdo it. No amount of money can close theThis bastard doesn't have close the hole in the hearts of these people, but a huge award is often overturned. I want the courts to give this clown to get as much consideration and empathy he showed these families, but that's not how the law works.

[Ms. Toad]

11. Compensatory damages are not intended to send a message.

They are intended to make the victims whole. This verdict says he that Jones' statements caused actual injury in the amount of $4.1 million dollars.

Punitive damages (not yet determined) are the part of the award which is designed to send a message.

[rurallib]

14. Thanks to you and the others who have expanded my very limited understanding

of the court system in this matter. I still have hope he will get what he so justly deserves through punitive damages, perjury trials or his involvement in January 6th.

But to be honest, seeing him get kicked in the balls a few times on live tv would be quite satisfying.

[iluvtennis]

28. Yes, thank you @Ms. Toad for this clarifying info - very helpful for us lay people. n/t

[fierywoman]

44. Yes thank you for explaining! I so appreciate it. I hope

they get more than the $150million.

[Evolve Dammit]

20. totally agree.

[live love laugh]

25. Betting he's going to sue his lawyers.

[Demobrat]

33. If he does they had better ask for a big, fat retainer.

[SKKY]

47. Remember, there is still the punitive damages, which are usually 4X...

...plus, this is one of 4 or 5 pending cases against him. He's toast.

[moonshinegnomie]

4. there will be a second trial for punitive damages

that can easily be triple that amount or more. plus 2 more trials.

when this is all over i want to see jones homeless, begging on street corners. Ive had my own run in with him at a protest where he went driving around in his giant penis replacement truck calling me and a group of other protestors pedophiles.

[Marthe48]

6. I hope punitive damages bankrupt the p.o.s.

Hope his phone puts him and all of his cohorts into the slammer and then under a bridge if they live long enough to get out of jail.

[Paladin]

9. +1000. He ought to lose every fucking penny he has. (nt)

[csziggy]

59. And every penny he might make in the future. nt

[Gamecock Lefty]

12. Where's his jail time???

[Gore1FL]

16. That isn't a possible outcome in a civil case. nt

[deurbano]

18. Can he get jail time for lying about not having the relevant text messages?

[Angleae]

30. Yes, but that would have to be a seperate trial.

[Evolve Dammit]

21. so would perjury be a separate case?

[Gore1FL]

48. He'd have to be prosecuted for that.

It would seem to be an open and shut case.

[Evolve Dammit]

55. thanks; any idea of sentencing guidelines?

[Gore1FL]

56. I have none at all, sorry.

We've tapped the depth of my legal knowledge, I am afraid.

[Evolve Dammit]

57. thanks

[BumRushDaShow]

19. This is a civil trial

But I expect that since the latest news about other law enforcement entities, including (most likely) DOJ as well as the J6 Committee, now looking at subpoenaing his cell phone contents, this might take on a whole new criminal life of its own (not counting his potential perjury issue with this trial)!

Sandy Hook Parents’ Attorney Tells Judge ‘Various’ Federal and ‘Law Enforcement’ Agencies Want Access to Alex Jones’s Inadvertently Disclosed Data

Adam KlasfeldAug 4th, 2022, 11:44 am

(snip)

Bankston argued that Jones’s legal team effectively waived any privilege to the information by failing to assert it within 10 days.

“Mr. Reynal is right now using a fig leaf of this motion they say I violated to put a fig leaf over his own malpractice over his own absolute breach of his duties to his own client,” Bankston said.

The data, the lawyer continued, is not privileged — and is coveted by “various” federal agencies.

“I am under requests from various federal agencies and law enforcement to provide [Alex Jones’s data] absent a ruling from you saying ‘You cannot do that, Mr. Bankston,’ I intend to do so immediately following this hearing,” Bankston said. The lawyer named one of those government entities as the Jan. 6 Commission.

(snip)

https://lawandcrime.com/live-trials/alex-jones/sandy-hook-parents-attorney-tells-judge-various-federal-and-law-enforcement-agents-want-access-to-alex-joness-inadvertently-disclosed-data/

[SouthernDem4ever]

49. Is it just me or did that whole text/attorney client privilege crap

seem like a ploy staged just to try and get a mistrial. To me that was the 4th qtr hail mary pass.

[BumRushDaShow]

53. If it was

his lawyer can kiss his license goodbye.

[Torchlight]

13. In regards to punitive versus compensatory damages,

a position paper I read three or four years ago (unable to remember author or credited college) crunched the numbers and its conclusion was that in civil cases, generally (generally) punitive damages typically average out to just over four times the amount of compensatory damage judgement amount.

[ancianita]

17. Thanks, and thanks to others for clearing up the compensatory and punitive damages distinction.

[AllaN01Bear]

15. now , i hope the court goes after physical hard assets .

[Cha]

22. Sorry it's so LOW!

Last edited Thu Aug 4, 2022, 07:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Mahalo, BRDS!

[Novara]

24. Here's an explanation regarding the "punitive cap" on punitive damages:

Link to tweet

[Botany]

26. now that is just for 2 sets of parents .... and I think the all the other parents will now sue and

... go for punitive damages too.

[sarge43]

27. Does he have that kind of money?

Last edited Thu Aug 4, 2022, 08:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Further, what could happen, legally, if he can't or won't pony up?

[BumRushDaShow]

29. Oh he has it

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/alex-jones-net-worth/

(apparently the data listed at the above link had been obtained from what was reported in court filings)

[DFW]

31. There have been conflicting speculations about that

I heard here in DC from a few people (no idea how accurate their info was) that he greatly inflates his net worth, and that even a $2 million dollar judgement against him would put him in difficult financial straits. With $4 million, if it stands, he has to fight it if it's above and beyond his capacity to pay it, since that last thing he could stand would be being forced to admit that a $4 million settlement against him would leave him broke. If it were really pocket change to him, he'd laugh, pay up, and then move along as if nothing had happened. If he screams and refuses to pay a cent, beside his bruised ego, it could also mean he doesn't have the means to pay it. And THAT becoming public would REALLY bruise he ego!

Hmmm, does that somehow sound familiar?

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Actually if he had it

it would still be more advantegeous, "ratings wise" for his show, to endlessly rant against "the lib courts" and whine about "poor me", encouraging his loony listeners to set up GoFundMes for his legal fees and other expenses... He was doing nasty ad hoc pressers outside of the court the past week, basically dismissing everything that went on during the trial, and blaming everything under the sun except himself.

It's how these hucksters roll.

[LudwigPastorius]

40. The BBC says Jones' companies make $800,000 a day selling crap to survivalist Qnuts.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62427918

NYT says $50 million revenue annually.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/26/us/politics/sandy-hook-alex-jones.html

[Jarqui]

32. There are other lawsuits

Four lawsuits here:
https://infowarslawsuit.com/

There are two lawsuits related to Sandy Hook in CT

Someone from Charlottesville got a settlement

He's facing perjury - a slam dunk from yesterday's developments.

And the Jan 6th committee plus law enforcement have about 300GB of data/documents (a small part is his phone) to go through

There's probably more.

Offsetting that some will be the lawsuit against his lawyers for screwing up in the Texas case.

[slightlv]

35. I'd like to know how they came to this amount

I mean, compensate for the cost of the funeral? check...
But how do you compensate for the loss of a child?

[LudwigPastorius]

43. New York Times reporting:

" (the family's lawyer) Mr. Bankston said in his (opening) statement on Tuesday that the $150 million award symbolized one dollar for the parents’ reputational damage and one dollar for their emotional damage for each of the one-quarter of Americans who said in a 2013 Fairleigh Dickinson University survey that they thought the Sandy Hook shooting was definitely or possibly faked."

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/26/us/politics/sandy-hook-alex-jones.html

[SunSeeker]

36. $4M is peanuts for a guy who made up to $800k A DAY pushing these vile lies.

Hopefully the punitives will be $150M, but I doubt it. Punitives rarely run more than a few multiples of whatever the compensatory damages are. So Jones will probably get away with paying about $15M total after making tens of millions causing these parents unbearable misery. God I hope I'm wrong. If Jones only gets hit for $15M, this is not justice.

[BumRushDaShow]

38. This was just for parents of 2 families (not the rest of them who can sue) - PLUS from CNN--

Mark Bankston, an attorney for the parents, told CNN that the plaintiffs are happy with the jury's decision, noting that they had also received money prior to the trial due to sanctions the court had hit Jones with.

"Having already secured $1.5 million in fines from Mr Jones, the plaintiffs are now due $5.6 million that Alex Jones will have to pay them," Bankston said.

"Neil and Scarlett are thrilled with the result and look forward to putting Mr. Jones' money to good use," Bankston added. "Mr Jones on the other hand will not sleep easy tonight. With punitive damages still to be decided and multiple additional defamation lawsuits pending, it is clear that Mr Jones' time on the American stage is finally coming to an end."

[SunSeeker]

39. Well, if Neil and Scarlett are "thrilled with the result," that makes me feel a little better.

But that judgment does not serve as much of a deterrent for rich conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones.

[BumRushDaShow]

41. There's a post upthread about 4 other lawsuits

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2951784

This is just the beginning. It's gonna be a long drawn out process unless he can settle some of these but I wouldn't be surprised if he attempts a stunt to file for personal bankruptcy.

[Sky Jewels]

37. Ugh. Not enough.

Well, I hope this motherfucker gets wiped out in the punitive phase of the trial.

[BumRushDaShow]

42. This is for just the 2 families that sued.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2951797

[thucythucy]

45. I became concerned when I heard some of the jurors' questions

yesterday:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217000498

It sounded like there was at least one libertarian free speech absolutist on the jury.

The judge didn't allow the question, but it had me worried.

[EndlessWire]

50. I'm glad he got nailed

for what he put the families through. And, he lost the case, so I guess the jury verdict wasn't nearly as agreeable as he would have us think. Punitive damages pending.

But, what really interests me is the info regarding his depleting his assets to avoid payment by bankruptcy. Those BK judges may not like learning that!

Condolences to the two families, who have been put through hell on Earth.

[NH Ethylene]

51. I hope the other families can sue and collect.

I'd hate to see him go bankrupt now and the 19 other families who suffered just as much not get a dime.

[Kablooie]

52. I bet Jones will refuse to pay it.

He's already trying to get out of it by declaring bankruptcy.
I won't be surprised if he'll delay and delay so the families will have to hire someone to collect, and he'll find a way to squirm out of that.

These dirtbag conservatives seem to be experts at ignoring the law, and getting away with it, time and time again.

I hope the punitive damages are huge.
That will be the government going after him and will be more difficult to escape.

[Withywindle]

54. Good. Not enough but a decent start

I cannot fathom this level of sadistic cruelty. Grieving parents suffering the worst pain a person can feel in this life, and this festering sewer-mouth spent YEARS spreading this twisted lie and calling them fakers and crisis actors...

I want more consequences for him than just losing every ill-gotten penny he has, but money is what he cares about most so I guess this is what will hit him the hardest. Good. Take it all. Take every penny he'll ever have.