Key moments from Alex Jones defamation trial
The jury in Alex Jones’ second defamation damages trial over his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre will resume deliberation on Tuesday morning.
Jurors have thus far spent about seven hours weighing how much the Infowars host owes in damages to 15 plaintiffs – including loved ones of victims killed in the 2012 shooting and a former FBI agent who responded to the scene.
In closing arguments last week, plaintiffs’ attorneys urged jurors to consider the enormous profits Jones had made from spreading conspiracy theories about the mass shooting when determining how much he should pay.
“Every single one of these families were drowning in grief, and Alex Jones put his foot right on top of them,” attorney Christopher Mattei said.
He suggested a damages award of at least $550m, as Jones and Infowars had received an estimated 550 million views from their Sandy Hook hoax content on social media accounts from 2012 to 2018.
Meanwhile, Jones’ attorney Norm Pattis asked jurors to return a more measured verdict to help restore his client’s faith in “the system”.
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ICYMI: Jones’ attorney likens him to Atwood and Orwell
In closing arguments, Norm Pattis claimed Alex Jones was a “mad prophet” while comparing him to literary greats Margaret Atwood and George Orwell.
Alex Jones’ lawyer compares him to The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood
“There have always been creative geniuses in the world,” Jones’ attorney Norm Pattis says
Bevan Hurley11 October 2022 14:30
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WATCH: Key moments from Alex Jones’ defamation trial
A jury in Connecticut will resume deliberations this morning to decide how much Alex Jones must pay in damages for defaming family members of Sandy Hook victims.
Here is a video recap of the key moments from the trial so far.
Key moments from Alex Jones defamation trial
Alex Jones is in the midst of his second defamation trial over his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre. Attorneys for the families of the victims urged jurors to consider the enormous profits Jones had made from spreading conspiracy theories about the mass shooting when determining how much he should pay in damages. Following the attack, the Infowars host made numerous claims suggesting the shooting was a hoax intended to help justify a government-led confiscation of Americans’ guns. Here’s a look at some of the key moments from the trial. Click here to sign up to our newsletters.
Bevan Hurley11 October 2022 14:20
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Welcome back to The Independent’s live coverage as deliberation resumes
The jury is set to reconvene for its second full day of deliberation on Tuesday at 9.30am.
The process began briefly on Thursday afternoon following closing arguments, with jurors spending just under an hour in the deliberation room.
They then spent roughly six hours on Friday weighing how much Jones should pay in damages, but did not reach an agreement.
Jurors had asked the court for a whiteboard, markers, an eraser and a copy of the 30-page jury charge, which took several hours for the court to produce.
It is impossible to say how long the process could take from here.
Megan Sheets11 October 2022 13:56