The jury found Jones liable for defamation, emotional distress, and invasion of privacy stemming from his false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax orchestrated by gun control advocates.
Arguments and Appeals
Jones’ legal team argued that the judgment was excessively punitive and that his speech was political rather than commercial, exempting it from CUTPA. Jones claimed his inability to comply with discovery was due to lost audience data after being de-platformed by YouTube and Twitter.
The Sandy Hook families countered that Jones profited from his false claims by selling products on Infowars and that his actions exposed them to harassment and death threats.
Broader Legal Context
The Connecticut judgment is one of several high-profile cases against Jones. In 2022, a Texas jury awarded $49 million to other Sandy Hook families. Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems LLC, filed for bankruptcy in July 2022, and Jones himself filed for personal bankruptcy later that year.
Next Steps
The Sandy Hook families, represented by Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision to uphold most of the damages. Meanwhile, Jones’ legal team, led by Norman A. Pattis, may seek further appeals, potentially taking the case to the Connecticut Supreme Court or beyond.
