Alex Jones found liable in Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits

(Image credit: Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

published 15 November 2021

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been found liable for damages over his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.

The far-right Infowars host, who was sued by families of Sandy Hook shooting victims, was found liable by default after he refused to turn over documents despite being ordered to by the courts, The New York Times and The Associated Press report.

Jones has falsely described the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which left 26 people dead, as a "giant hoax." His legal team later said he "has come to the conclusion that the shooting happened" since then. Jones previously lost defamation lawsuits when he didn't provide information to the court. Judge Barbara Bellis on Monday cited Jones' "failure to produce critical material information that the plaintiffs needed to prove their claims" in making this latest ruling, per AP.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

According to the Times, juries are now set to determine how much money in damages Jones will have to pay to the victims' families. Jones previously claimed the "fundamental right to speak freely is at stake in these cases." Attorney Chris Mattei told CNN the families are "grateful for the court's ruling" and called it a "legal victory," while adding, "The battle to shed light on how deeply Mr. Jones has harmed these families continues."

Explore More

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox