Posted on 08/03/2022 7:48:07 PM PDT by Subcutaneous Fishstick Blues
Television host Alex Jones on Aug. 3 said he believes the mass shooting that took place in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, in 2012 was “100 percent real.”
“Especially since I’ve met the parents. It’s 100 percent real,” Jones said while on the stand in a courtroom in Austin, Texas.
Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse, was among the 26 people killed in the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, filed a defamation suit in 2018 after a host on Jones’ network, InfoWars, said that Heslin was lying about holding his son’s body after the shooting.
Jones, the suit noted, has described the attack as “staged” and “a giant hoax.”
Jones, InfoWars, and another company he runs, Free Speech Systems, were named as defendants, along with the host, Owen Shroyer.
A judge in the area in 2021 entered a default judgment against the defendants because they failed to comply with duties related to discovery.
The trial happening now is to determine how much Jones will have to pay in damages.
Heslin and Lewis said Tuesday that an apology wouldn’t suffice and that Jones needed to be held accountable for repeatedly spreading falsehoods about the attack. They are seeking at least $150 million.
Closing arguments were expected to begin later Wednesday after more testimony from Jones, who has portrayed the lawsuit as an attack on his First Amendment rights.
Jones is the only person testifying in his own defense. His attorney asked him if he now understands it was “absolutely irresponsible” to push the false claims that the massacre didn’t happen and no one died.
Jones said he does, but added, “They won’t let me take it back.”
He also complained that he’s been “typecast as someone that runs around talking about Sandy Hook, makes money off Sandy Hook, is obsessed by Sandy Hook.”
Parents’ Testimony
Heslin testified earlier this week that statements made by Jones were “very disturbing.”
“I just couldn’t fathom or understand why people would question such a horrific tragedy and a loss. I still to this day can’t fathom it,” he said.
Lewis, meanwhile, spoke directly to Jones, telling him: “It doesn’t exist, that I’m ‘deep state.’ It’s just not true. I know you know that.”
She wondered why Jones made such statements, questioning whether it was for financial gain.
Jones has been broadcasting as the trial goes on, saying at one point that Heslin is “being manipulated by some very bad people” and is “slow” while Lewis “is not.”
“Do you think I’m an actor?” Lewis asked.
“No, I don’t think you’re an actor,” Jones responded before the judge admonished him to be quiet until called to testify.
Also on Tuesday, Jones told the parents, “I never intentionally tried to hurt you.”
“I never even said your name until this case came to court. I didn’t even really know who you were until a couple of years ago when all this started up,” he said.
Jones said he questions “every big event” and that “a lot of times it turns out that we’ve not been told the truth.”
My concern isn’t that old AJ is a paranoid nut.
My concern is he has been batting better than he should have for a long time.
Still, Mr Jones is likely toast.
He called the shootings a hoax, multiple times.
Being real doesn’t mean it was what we were told.
I believe it started as one thing but became another
I was standing on the beach in milford Connecticut, and I saw something go up to the sky before the incident too.
I’m with you.
Chalk Hill middle school, Monroe CT.
I attended that school. It was abandoned and ready to be demolished when the shooting occurred. It was reopened by a grip of both volunteers and professionals to house ONLY that class. The classrooms were setup to look exactly like the old classroom. The kids were told over and over again to remember kids that they didn’t remember in the first place.
It's worthwhile to keep in mind that rat poison is 90% tasty food, or it wouldn't work.
Yup. absolutely. This particular case is designed to suppress people questioning the 'official' narratives.
Yup. That one was a big one Laz. A lot of people started paying more attention in light of it. Personally, my Official Bullshit Detector pretty much went into operation during Ruby Ridge and was finely calibrated during Waco.
Re: 65 - So the kids that were in the Sandy Hook classroom during the shooting and that survived were schooled in that classroom?
Some additional questions:
1) How did the kids get to and from Chalk Hill?
2) How many kids that were alleged to have been killed were not and housed in Chalk Hill for the next year?
3) Where did the kids who were housed in Chalk Hill go after that year?
4) Were the families aware of their children not being killed and being housed at Chalk Hill?
It's almost like some form of tit for tat was going on...
He was smear d worse than the Sandyhook parents.
Only Alex Jones claimed they were frauds when le nearly all the liberal m dia went after Sandman.
Then why did the liberal judge dismiss the Sandman cases?
The networks certainly went after him with a vengeance!
True.
But calling the parents ‘liars’ or such is *not* covered.
You can call me an evil S.O.B., no (legal) worries. But if you call me a bank robber, a pedophile, or a tax-evader or such then it can be ‘see you in court’.
The first amendment does not apply to libel, slander, or incitement to riot; it never has nor would the Founding Fathers have ever expected it to.
Good question. Likely because he was a liberal judge. One of many blights on our once great republic. :(
Could Sandman appeal? If so,did he? He certainly deserves to have his cases heard — and in my opinion, to win.
Comparisons questioning equal justice under the law are “whataboutism?”
So, what kind of person takes refuge in sophistry?
I agree that what Jones did was really stupid but I can't agree that Stern never said anything just as stupid and a whole lot that was far more offensive.
YMMV of course.
Dunno, I’m not a lawyer. I hope he can appeal. It’s outrageous but ne get by while the other get slammed.
Here is a very calm professor from Florida discussing Sandy Hook issues.
It may open your eyes:
https://www.unz.com/audio/gunsbutter_sandy-hook-and-the-politics-of-mass-shootings-331/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.