Topline
Three companies owned by far-right radio host Alex Jones, who was found liable last November for spreading false claims about the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, filed for bankruptcy — here’s the legal trouble that led up to the decision.
Alex Jones, the founder of right-wing media group Infowars, addresses a crowd of pro-Trump … [+]
Key Facts
Far-right website Infowars and two other firms owned by Jones, IWHealth and Prison Planet TV, have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, according to filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
The move comes several months after a judge ruled Jones was liable for defamation after the families of several victims killed in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting sued Jones and his media outlet Infowars in Connecticut for perpetuating claims the tragedy was a hoax.
The Chapter 11 filing will allow Jones to continue operating his businesses while halting civil litigation against them, according to Bloomberg, which first reported on Sunday Jones’ companies were weighing bankruptcy because of mounting legal fees.
Big Number
$10 million. That’s how much money Infowars has spent on legal costs as a result of the Sandy Hook lawsuits, according to court filings.
Key Background
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, in which 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 first-graders and six adult staff members in Newton, Connecticut in 2012, Jones portrayed the shooting as a hoax orchestrated by those pushing for stricter gun laws. In March 2018, several Sandy Hook families filed a defamation suit against Jones for spreading the conspiracy theories, which they alleged led to their harassment and stalking. In November, Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis found Jones liable for damages, with a trial set for August to determine how much he should pay. In March, Jones defied two court orders to attend depositions near his home in Texas to testify before the trial, claiming he was unable to attend because of doctors’ orders regarding unspecified “medical conditions.” It later emerged Jones’ doctor was a conspiracy theorist who claimed Dr. Anthony Fauci created Covid-19. At the end of March, Jones offered to deliver a “heartfelt apology” and pay $120,000 per plaintiff to settle the case, an offer that was quickly turned down. Bellis then ruled that Jones would be charged between $25,000 and $50,000 each weekday until attending the deposition. Jones was refunded $75,000 in fines last week after finally sitting for questioning.
Tangent
Leonard Pozner, whose six-year-old son was murdered in the Sandy Hook shooting, has said he’s been forced to change his address and hide his identity in the wake of harassment stemming from Jones’ false claims. Pozner and another Sandy Hook family, both of whom were not involved in the Connecticut lawsuit, filed two separate defamation suits in the state of Texas. In 2021, Jones was found guilty by default in both cases for failing to provide information to the court. Since the lawsuits, Jones has acknowledged the Sandy Hook shooting was real, claiming a “form of psychosis” led him to believe conspiracy theories.
Further Reading
Alex Jones Will Be Refunded $75K In Fines After Finally Attending Deposition In Sandy Hook Lawsuit (Forbes)
Infowars Files for Bankruptcy Amid Sandy Hook Lawsuits (Bloomberg)
Alex Jones Loses by Default in Sandy Hook Defamation Lawsuits (New York Times)
Alex Jones liable for damages over Sandy Hook shooting claims, judge rules (Guardian)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/madelinehalpert/2022/04/18/alex-jones-infowars-site-files-for-bankruptcy—here-are-the-lawsuits-that-led-to-millions-in-legal-fees/