Alex Jones found liable in Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits

Alex Jones
(Image credit: Sergio Flores/Getty Images)

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.

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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."

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Brendan Morrow

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.