A three‑judge panel of the Texas Third Court of Appeals on Tuesday reduced the $50 million judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million. The decision stems from a Texas lawsuit in which the parents of Sandy Hook victims claimed Jones’ false claims about the 2012 school shooting caused them ongoing harassment.
Legal reasoning behind the reduction
The court ruled that the plaintiffs, Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, could not demonstrate that the alleged harassment, inflamed by Jones’ statements, rose to a level that would justify damages beyond Texas law’s $750,000 cap on non‑economic losses. Because the cap applies, the appellate court ordered the judgment lowered to the statutory maximum plus any proven economic losses, totaling $1.5 million.
Impact on other judgments
The Texas ruling does not affect the separate $1.4 billion judgment entered against Jones in Connecticut, where a jury found him liable for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. That massive verdict remains in place and continues to be pursued by the Sandy Hook families.
Background on the case
In 2012, a gunman killed 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Jones repeatedly asserted on his Infowars platform that the massacre was a government‑engineered hoax intended to tighten gun‑control laws. The false narrative sparked harassment of the victims’ families, prompting the civil suit.
Jones’ trial attorney, Andino Reynal, had indicated an intention to appeal the original Texas damages award, predicting a reduction. The appellate court’s decision aligns with that expectation.
Bankruptcy proceedings continue
Both Alex Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, have filed for bankruptcy protection. The reduced Texas judgment will be addressed within those ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, but the Connecticut verdict remains a significant financial liability for Jones.
The case underscores the tension between free‑speech claims and the legal responsibilities of public figures who disseminate false information that harms private individuals.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
