Nov 23, 2022 - Politics & Policy

Texas judge backs jury's $49M award against Alex Jones

Rebecca Falconer

InfoWars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media outside Waterbury Superior Court in Waterbury, Connecticut, in September. Photo: Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

InfoWars founder Alex Jones must pay the full $49 million a jury awarded the parents of a Sandy Hook school shooting victim, a Texas judge ruled on Tuesday evening, according to multiple reports.

Why it matters: The amount is much higher than the cap set by Texas law that limits punitive damages to $750,000 per plaintiff — the constitutionality of which U.S. District Court Judge Maya Guerra Gamble questioned in this case, per the New York Times.

What they're saying: This was "a rare case" due to the emotional impact Jones' claims had on Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son was among 20 students and six staff killed in the 2012 elementary school shooting, said the judge in Travis County, where InfoWars is based, per the NYT.

By the numbers: The jury in Texas awarded them $45.2 million in punitive damages last August for Jones falsely calling the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, a hoax.

They also ordered the conspiracy theorist pay more than $4 million in damages to Heslin and Lewis, parents of the murdered 6-year-old Jesse Lewis.

What we're watching: Jones could appeal the ruling.

Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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Texas judge backs jury's $49M award against Alex Jones

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