A Texas Third Court of Appeals issued a unanimous opinion on Friday that slashes the $50 million defamation judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to about $6 million. The court applied Texas law that caps punitive damages at $750,000 per plaintiff, reducing the punitive portion from more than $45 million to $1.5 million.
Impact on Sandy Hook families
The ruling leaves intact more than $4.1 million in compensatory damages awarded by a jury to Sandy Hook parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis for defamation and emotional distress. However, the families expressed disappointment, noting that Jones still faces a separate $1.25 billion judgment in Connecticut for the same claims.
Mark Bankston, attorney for Heslin and Lewis, called the Texas decision “irrelevant” because the Connecticut judgment remains in force and the families’ overall liability exceeds a billion dollars.
Jones’ response
Jones hailed the decision as a “gigantic victory for the First Amendment,” saying he will continue to appeal the remaining damages to the Texas Supreme Court. He added, “I have lawyers who are good constitutional lawyers and they are not backing down.”
Jones has already sought review of the Connecticut judgment by the U.S. Supreme Court, a request that was denied last year.
Background of the case
In 2024, Jones was found liable for repeatedly claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax, a falsehood that spurred harassment, death threats, and online abuse toward the victims’ families. The Texas lawsuit focused on two of the 19 claims filed by the families, while the Connecticut case addressed the full slate of claims.
During the Texas trial, jurors heard testimony that Jones’ followers, believing his hoax narrative, subjected the families to threats and in‑person harassment. Jones argued there was no direct link between his statements and the harassment, a point the court ultimately rejected in its finding of defamation.
Bankruptcy and The Onion involvement
Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and a court‑ordered auction of its assets was briefly won by The Onion, a satirical news outlet, before a federal judge overturned the sale. The Onion has since set up a parody Infowars page, but a licensing deal to use Infowars trademarks remains on hold as liquidation proceedings continue.
Despite the legal setbacks, Jones continues to broadcast on new websites and his personal X account, maintaining a presence on the internet while his former Infowars platform remains offline.
What’s next?
The Texas decision does not affect the Connecticut judgment, and the families are still pursuing collection of that award. Jones’ legal team is expected to file a petition with the Texas Supreme Court to further reduce the remaining damages, while appeals continue in Connecticut.
Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.
