Alex Jones: Sandy Hook parents tell Infowars founder he has made their lives a ‘living hell’ as they face him in court | US News
Parents of a six-year-old boy shot dead in the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre tell conspiracy theorist Alex Jones he has turned their lives into a “hell on earth” when they come face to face. with him in court.
Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis said they have experienced repeated death threats, harassment and injury threats over the past decade because Jones used his media platforms to claim the year’s mass shooting. 2012 is a hoax.
The parents held back their tears as they appeared in the witness stand on the final day of testimony in the two-week-long libel damages trial against Jones and media company Free His Speech Systems.
They are seeking damages of at least $150 million (£123 million) in Travis County Court in Austin, Texas.
Mr Heslin and Ms Lewis both said they feared for their lives and had faced strangers at home and on the street because of the hoax theory.
Ms. Heslin said his home and car were shot in, and the jury heard a death threat sent via text message to another Sandy Hook family.
Heslin told the court: “I cannot even describe the past nine and a half years, the hell on earth that I and others have endured because of Alex Jones’ recklessness and negligence.
Ms Lewis then spoke directly to Jones, who was sitting about 10 feet away, before the conspiracy theorist appeared in the stands himself.
She told Jones: “First of all I am a mother and I know you are a father. My son already exists.
“I’m not in deep condition… I know you know it… And you’re going to leave this court and say it again on your show.”
At one point she 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.
Ms Lewis continued to try to impress upon Jones that the shooting of Sandy Hook and the trauma inflicted in the decade since the death of her son Jesse Lewis were real.
“To me, this seemed so unbelievable that we had to do this – we have to beg you, punish you – to get you to stop lying,” Lewis said. “I’m so glad this day is here. I’m really relieved. And grateful… I told you all this.”
Jones shook her head several times while Miss Lewis talked to him.
Scarlett Lewis tells Alex Jones to ‘stop lying’
Earlier in the day, Jones ignored Mr. Heslin’s testimony to appear on his own Infowars show.
Jones told his audience that Mr Heslin was “slow” and manipulated by bad guys.
Mr Heslin said the decision not to attend the trial to hear Jones’ testimony was “cowardly”.
“Today is very important to me and is far from coming… to confront Alex Jones for what he said and did to me. To restore my son’s honor and legacy “, said Mr. Heslin when Jones was not there. .
He added that he doesn’t know if the Sandy Hook prank theory originated with Jones, but it was the Infowars founder who “lighted the match and started the fire” with an online and broadcast platform. waves to millions of people worldwide.
Neil Heslin says Jones was ‘cowardly’ for not appearing in court to hear his testimony
Jones later appeared in the stands himself, initially to confront the judge, who asked him to answer questions from his own attorney.
The conspiracy theorist said he has long wanted to apologize to Jesse’s parents.
“I never meant to hurt you. I never said your name until this went to court,” Jones said. “The Internet has questions, I have questions.”
Jesse Lewis was 6 years old when he was shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School
The judge then kicked the jury out of the room and strongly scolded Jones for telling the jury that he had complied with the pre-trial evidence collection even though he had not and that he went bankrupt, this is yet to be determined.
Jones has described the lawsuit against him as an attack on his right to free speech.
The challenge was just one of the challenges he had to face.
Read more:
Website Infowars files for bankruptcy protection as founder Alex Jones faces lawsuits
Court in Texas and Connecticut found Jones liable for libel for portraying the Sandy Hook shooting as a hoax.
The The massacre took place on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people.
Twenty of the victims were children between the ages of six and seven, and six were adult employees
