He defamed them for a decade. He sent lunatics to disrupt their memorials. He lied about their loved ones. Now Alex Jones has to pay Sandy Hook families almost $1 billion damages and fees

submitted by Site_rly_sux from (reuters.com)

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[–]Site_rly_sux[S] 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

Literally every single part of the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory was taken apart on the stand in court. Whatever part of the theory you half-remember, has been debunked to Infowars employees in the past few weeks.

My favourite parts of the trial -

  1. Learning that infowars scrutinise each bump in product sales to figure out which conspiracies drive sales. The making sure the articles and show cover those topics, to maximise sales. Even when they've acknowledged their facts are wrong in internal emails, they'll keep hyping a topic, for cash.

  2. Learning that Alex sent an internet weirdo to disrupt the classroom teacher's family's memorial run. He also send a cage fighter to record himself harassing victims. Alex bears a huge personal role in their continued suffering.

  3. Learning that Alex as recently as last week called the shooting a "synthetic" hoax, even when he's on trial for the same. He literally is unable to stop himself, because he had the mind of a child

[–][deleted] 12 insightful - 4 fun12 insightful - 3 fun13 insightful - 4 fun -  (5 children)

Literally every single part of the Sandy Hook conspiracy theory was taken apart on the stand in court. Whatever part of the theory you half-remember, has been debunked to Infowars employees in the past few weeks.

It literally does not matter, conspiracy theories are not illegal. His words did not defame the dead individuals, it defamed the government who was not in this suit. Shall we fine Michael Moore billions of dollars for his 9/11 conspiracies because his 'lies' 'defamed' dead people, this is preposterous.

Perhaps he is guilty of harassment, but I don't think there is any precedent for billion dollar fines for that

[–]jagworms 7 insightful - 2 fun7 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

The courts are letting this go forward in this way exactly because conspiracy theories are not illegal. But their thumb is on the scale. Alex was the first to be deplatformed and have to do everything through his own website. But he was still making money, and that's the problem - they couldn't convince the whole world to stop listening to him (because he's right about most of it), so they want to destroy him financially.

[–]Site_rly_sux[S] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

The courts are letting this go forward

They're "letting" it because it's a real lawsuit bought in the proper manner.

Alex Jones has chosen not to offer any defense because he has no defense.

He owes them money not because "they want to destroy him" but because he owes them to make it right for them after what he did (and accepted he did when he chose not to offer a defense)

[–]Zapped 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Alex Jones has chosen not to offer any defense because he has no defense.

Also, because there is a good chance this amount is greatly reduced on appeal and his team is weighing what the actual final cost will be with what he has gained off of his rhetoric.

[–]Site_rly_sux[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

What appeal? Alex didn't offer a defense. There's no appeal. Mark Bankston (the Texas plaintiff's lawyer) explained this exactly on the knowledge fight podcast. There's no avenue of appeal for a case which to which he didn't offer any defense.

[–]Zapped 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You are thinking of an appeal for guilt, not for the amount of awarded money.