Aug 5 (Reuters) – Lawyers for the parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook mass shooting have begun presenting evidence of Alex Jones’ wealth as they seek punitive damages on top of the $4.1 million awarded by a Texas jury over the American conspiracy theorist’s false claims that the massacre was a hoax.
Forensic economist Bernard Pettingill testified Friday on behalf of the parents of slain 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, who say they suffered years of harassment after Jones spread lies about the killing of 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Connecticut, December 14, 2012.
“He spread some hate speech and some misinformation, but he made a lot of money and monetized it,” Pettingill said, describing Jones as “a very successful guy.”
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A 12-member jury on Thursday said Jones must pay the parents $4.1 million in damages for spreading conspiracy theories about the massacre. That verdict followed a two-week trial in Austin, Texas, where Jones’ radio show and Infowars webcast are based.
Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis testified that Jones’ followers harassed them for years under the false belief that the parents had lied about their son’s death.
Jones tried to distance himself from conspiracy theories during his testimony, apologizing to parents and admitting that Sandy Hook was “100 percent real.”
Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems LLC, filed for bankruptcy last week. Jones said on Monday’s broadcast that the filing will help the company stay on the air while it appeals.
The bankruptcy filing halted a similar defamation suit by Sandy Hook’s parents in Connecticut, where, as in Texas, he has already been found liable.
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Reporting by Jack Quinn; Editing by Howard Goller and Mark Porter
Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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