HARTFORD, Conn. — Radio show personality Alex Jones has been ordered to pay an additional $473 million in punitive damages for stating on air his beliefs that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a government orchestrated hoax.
The ruling came down Thursday by Connecticut Judge Barabara Bellis who ordered Jones to pay the sum in addition to a nearly $1 billion jury verdict issued last month.
The Infowars host was sued by an FBI agent and Sandy Hook victims’ families over his claims that the mass shooting, in which 20 first graders and six personnel were killed, was staged by “crisis actors” to justify stricter gun control laws.
In October six jurors ordered Jones to pay $965 million to the 15 plaintiffs for defamation, infliction of emotional distress and violations of Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, which bans deceptive business practices and unfair competition.
Jones has since doubled down on his claims that the case against him was a “witch hunt” and that the suit violated his Constitutional right to free speech.
Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems, which is also named in the suit, is seeking bankruptcy protection.
thepatrioticblonde.com 