New York
CNN Business
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A attorney representing Sandy Hook households that experience sued right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones requested a jury on Tuesday to “send a message” to the general public with its determination in a Connecticut trial that may resolve what quantity of money the plaintiffs obtain.
The trial is going down a month after a Texas jury decided that Jones and his corporate, Free Speech Systems, the mother or father of the conspiracy media group Infowars, must award two oldsters just about $50 million in a equivalent trial.
In the Connecticut case, the place Jones is being sued by way of other Sandy Hook households, Judge Barbara Bellis issued a default judgment towards the Infowars founder in November 2021 after he did not conform to court docket orders.
Plaintiffs in 3 Connecticut court cases towards Jones, together with members of the family of 8 faculty scholars and staff and one FBI agent who answered to the scene, have all been condensed into the trial that commenced Tuesday morning. Because the pass judgement on already determined that Jones is liable, the jury is figuring out the quantity of damages to award to the plaintiffs.
Jones, who used to be now not provide throughout opening arguments, however is predicted to testify throughout the weeks-long trial, baselessly stated within the aftermath of the Sandy Hook capturing that the incident used to be staged.
Jones has since stated the capturing took place, however most effective after the court cases have been filed. He stated in a 2019 sworn deposition {that a} “form of psychosis” brought about him to make his false feedback.
Christopher Mattei, a attorney for the Sandy Hook households, argued throughout his opening remark that Jones driven the Sandy Hook lie as it used to be winning.
Mattei confirmed information indicating that after Jones driven the Sandy Hook conspiracy, internet visitors to Infowars greater and so did income.
“What you are seeing there is the relationship between the lie, the audience, and the money,” Mattei argued.
Mattei famous that the Sandy Hook households “did not have enough time” with their family members and most effective had the reminiscences left at the back of. But, he stated, Jones grew to become the ones reminiscences “into a battleground” for benefit.
Mattei didn’t request that the jury award the Sandy Hook households a particular buck quantity, however stated he was hoping the verdict might be “resounding enough to send a message to the people taken in by Alex Jones that they’ve been lied to.”
“You will be speaking on behalf of the community,” Mattei instructed the jury.
Norman Pattis, Jones’ lawyer, stated throughout his opening remark that the claims made by way of the Sandy Hook plaintiffs are “exaggerated.”
“They’ve suggested your job is to punish Alex Jones … they hate him because he says outrageous things and the haters want him silenced,” Pattis stated. “Each of you has chosen to be here today to compensate them for their grief and you’re being asked to make an example of Alex. Money is their weapon of choice. Award them enough and you might silence Alex Jones.”
“This isn’t a casino,” Pattis added.
Pattis argued that the Sandy Hook households have “become partisans.”
“Do they overstate the harm that Alex caused them because they want to silence him for political reasons? Because he disagrees with their point of view? I would suggest to you that is the case,” Pattis stated.
“First they came for Alex Jones,” Pattis stated as he concluded his opening remark. “Who is next?”
