The defamation trial against Alex Jones has concluded and he will now pay almost $1 billion dollars to Sandy Hook families.
Jones, a conspiracy theorist, will be paying the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and an FBI agent.
According to CNY Central, Jones spent years spreading lies saying the school shooting was a hoax and never happened. The families who suffered the loss of their children have had to listen to him say it never happened for years.
Families involved in the defamation trial of Alex Jones, who claimed Sandy Hook was a hoax
In all, he will pay $965 million dollars for saying the shooting never happened. He also added that the families shown grieving over the loss of their children were actors. His claim was that the fake set up was a way to try to take away people’s guns.
The lawsuits were filed by many of the victims’ families and an FBI agent who worked as a first responder at the massacre. Another family won $50 million dollars back in August.
Robbie Parker is the parents of 6-year-old Emilie Parker, who was killed in the shooting. He stated he was happy they were able to accomplish telling the truth outside the court after the verdict was announced.
Parker ended up being one of Jones’ main targets when he started saying the shooting was a hoax. His family was awarded $120 million, the most any of the families received.
Jones did not appear in court that day but did react to the announcement of the verdict on his Infowars show.
Jones claimed he never mentioned any of the names of those receiving money, and called it all “made up” and “hilarious.” He called in a show trial and said the “left is completely out of control.”
The payout ended up being more than Jones had expected and he plans to appeal the decision.
Why are families receiving such a large payout from Alex Jones?
The families that testified and are set to receive a settlement said they have been threatened. They have also been harassed for years following the shooting. The people harassing them believed lies they heard on Alex Jones’ show. Some even showed up at their homes to record them.
One parent, Mark Barden, said Jones’ followers urinated on his son’s grave and threatened to dig up his coffin. His family was awarded $86 million dollars. FBI agent William Aldenberg received $90 million after online claims said he was just an actor playing the role of a father of a victim.
While Jones admitted the shooting was real, he still remained defiant in court and on his show.
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