Alex Jones confronts his own texts in Sandy Hook defamation trial
AUSTIN, Texas – The legal team of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones inadvertently sent opposing lawyers two years’ worth of text messages from him, according to a statement released in court Wednesday.
It comes before a jury begins to consider how much Jones should pay for defaming the family of a boy killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Jones told the court on Wednesday that he understood it was irresponsible to call the attack a hoax.
Jones testified Wednesday he believes the massacre is “100% real.” The reception from the Infowars host was one of many notable developments in court Wednesday.
Jones tried to sway a jury to determine how much he and his media company, Free Speech Systems, owe for smearing the family of a 6-year-old boy killed in the 2012 attack , which killed 20 students and 6 educators in Newtown, Connecticut.
Jones has been accused of lying to himself several times this week, including once before a judge, and was confronted by an attorney for the Jesse Lewis family at a public hearing Wednesday with a copy of the file. files on his cell phone – evidence that was apparently accidentally sent to them by Jones’ attorneys.
The stunning moment seemed to even take Jones by surprise as he was shown copies of his own text messages by Mark Bankston, an attorney for the boy’s parents, Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin.
“Your attorneys made a mistake and sent me an entire digital copy of your entire cell phone, with all the text messages you’ve sent over the past two years,” Bankston said. in court on Wednesday. The moment has now gone viral on social media.
“That’s how I know you lied to me when you said you didn’t have a text message about Sandy Hook,” he continued. Jones protested, saying he was being honest and that the accusation from Bankston was a “Perry Mason moment”, referring to a fictional defense attorney character.
While Jones is excited about it to prove that he complied with the court order to release the information, Bankston said evidence shows Jones misrepresented his text messages during the development period. appear in court and potentially commit perjury.
“My attorneys sent it to you but I’m hiding, okay,” Jones said, before the judge warned both Jones and Bankston to just answer and ask questions.
Wednesday’s revelations come a day after Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin testified about the suffering, death threats and harassment they’ve endured following the death of their son because of the What Jones has hyped up on his media platforms.
‘HELL LIVE’:Sandy Hook’s parents say Alex Jones’ statements made death threats, harassment
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In a fascinating exchange, Lewis spoke directly to Jones, who was sitting about 10 feet away.
At one point, Lewis asked Jones: “Do you think I’m an actor?”
“No, I don’t think you’re an actor,” Jones replied before the judge ordered him to remain silent until called to testify.
Heslin told the jury about holding his son with a bullet hole through his head, even describing the extent of the damage on his son’s body. A key segment of the case was a 2017 Infowars broadcast that said Heslin had not kept his son.
Heslin and Lewis said Tuesday that an apology is not enough and that Jones should be held accountable for repeatedly spreading disinformation about the attack, which was the deadliest school shooting in the country’s history. America. They are seeking at least $150 million from the trial, which is in its second week.
In closing arguments, Jones’ attorney Andino Reynal said the plaintiffs failed to prove that Jones’ actions and words caused actual harm, and that the trial lacked evidence of harassment, suffering and defaming the character that the parents claimed. He asked jurors to award the parents $8 — one dollar for each restitution they were considering.
“Alex Jones may not fit our particular interests, but millions of Americans tune in to be informed, entertained, have their voices heard,” Reynal said. “Tell the truth in your judgment. For them. And for all Americans. “
Jones was the only one to defend himself. His lawyer asked him if he now understood it was “totally irresponsible” to make false claims that the massacre did not happen and that no one died.
‘A SUSTAINABLE DISPLAY’:Alex Jones could not testify at the deposition of Sandy Hook
Jones said he has, but added, “They (the media) won’t let me take it back.”
Jones – who has described the case against him as an attack on his First Amendment rights – told the jury that any settlement above $2 million “would make us immersive,” but added: “I think it’s appropriate for whatever you decide what you want to do.”
But Bankston, during a thorough investigation, showed the court an email from an Infowars salesperson informing Jones that the company had made a total of $800,000 from the sale of its products in just one day, this amounted to nearly 300 million dollars in a year. Jones said it was the company’s best sales day.
It came after Jones stated, “I don’t use email.”
Bankston said Jones did not comply with a court order to provide text messages and emails to gather evidence before the trial. Jones told the court he may have “ordered that” the email.
LAW:Parents of student Sandy Hook sue conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for $150 million for defamation
During questioning, Jones acknowledged his history of making conspiracy statements related to other mass tragedies, from the Oklahoma City bombing and the Boston Marathon to the mass shootings in Las Vegas and Parkland, Florida.
Bankston went after Jones’ credit, showing a video clip on Infowars from last week when a presenter – not Jones – claimed the trial had been rigged and had a photo of the judge in flames. . Then another clip of Jones asked if the judges were chosen from a group of people who “didn’t know what planet they were living on”. Jones said he didn’t mean that part literally.
HOW MUCH WILL ALEX JONES PAY?:The trial began after the judge ruled he defamed Sandy Hook’s parents
On Tuesday, Jones was scolded by a judge for being dishonest with some of the things he swore, telling the jury he had complied with pre-trial evidence collection even though he did not. as such and he went bankrupt, this is yet to be determined. Plaintiffs’ attorneys were furious when Jones mentioned his bankruptcy, which they worried would affect the jury’s decision on damages.
“This is not your show,” judge Maya Guerra Gamble told Jones. “Your beliefs don’t make something happen. You are taking an oath. “
Courts in Texas and Connecticut have found Jones liable for defamation for portraying his Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax involving actors aimed at increased gun control.
Deposited in the Texas trial is how much Jones will have to pay. The panel will consider damages in two stages. Once they determined whether Jones should pay his parents compensation for defamation and emotional distress, they then had to decide if he was required to pay punitive damages. . That section will include a separate mini-court involving Jones and financial experts testifying about the net worth of him and his company.
Jones tried to defend the Free Language System financially. Company, is Infowars’ parent company, filed for federal bankruptcy guard last week. The Sandy Hook family sued Jones privately over his financial statements, alleging that the company was trying to protect the millions of people owned by Jones and his family through shell entities.
Contribution: Associated Press