Texas jury orders Alex Jones to pay $4 million to Sandy Hook family in defamation suit

Infowars founder Alex Jones has been ordered to pay $4 million to the family of a Sandy Hook shooting victim for claiming that the shooting never happened.

Following the shooting, Jones repeatedly claimed on his show that the massacre was “staged” by the U.S. government as a pretense for gun confiscation. He claimed that the parents and families of the victims were “crisis actors” being paid for their performance. 

In the wake of Jones’ claims, his supporters repeatedly harassed the parents, confronting them publicly and sending them death threats. Jones faces two other defamation suits this year, and has already been found liable in two others. 

The plaintiffs, Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, were seeking at least $150 million in compensation for defamation and emotional distress. Their son, Jesse Lewis, was killed in his first grade classroom along with 19 other classmates and six teachers. 

“I can’t even describe the last nine and a half years, the living hell that I and others have had to endure because of the recklessness and negligence of Alex Jones,” said Heslin in court. 

Jones finally conceded Wednesday that the shooting happened while under oath. 

“Especially since I’ve met the parents. It’s 100% real,” Jones testified. “I never intentionally tried to hurt you. I never said your name until this came to court,” he told the parents. 

Two other families won similar suits against Jones and juries will later this month determine how much he owes.