A federal bankruptcy judge on Monday cleared the way for a Connecticut defamation lawsuit against Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
The case was brought by relatives of some of the victims of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Jones has falsely claimed that the nation’s deadliest school shooting, which killed 20 students and six educators, was a hoax.
Jones’ attorney had attempted to refer the case to Federal Bankruptcy Court rather than pursuing the case in Connecticut state court. That move brought the first day of jury selection to a sudden halt earlier this month.
However, Judge Julie Manning’s ruling Monday essentially allows plaintiffs to pursue the defamation lawsuit only against Jones as an individual, excluding Free Speech Systems, a Jones-owned company, and a defendant in the Connecticut case.
The Connecticut Superior Court proceedings should not be disturbed,” Manning wrote in the decision, adding that the plaintiffs’ claims for damages are awaiting trial. A message was left with Jones’ attorney, Norm Pattis, for comment.
Chris Mattei, an attorney for the plaintiffs, commended the bankruptcy judge’s decision. “We are grateful that the bankruptcy court saw through Alex Jones’ brazen efforts to prevent a jury from being formed and held him accountable.
We look forward to the process,” he said in a written statement. Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy in Texas about a week before Jones’ attorney asked for the Connecticut case to be transferred.
Compensation for the parents of one of the children killed in Sandy Hook, plus an additional $4.1 million he must pay for the suffering he caused them by claiming for years the shooting was a hoax.
Jones’ attorneys plan to appeal and seek a reduction in the amount. Meanwhile, in addition to the Connecticut case, Texas is pending a lawsuit for damages filed by the parents of another child killed in Sandy Hook.
Prior to the Texas trial, Jones had already been found liable in a separate lawsuit for defamation in Texas and another in Connecticut by relatives of some of Sandy Hook’s victims. what you would have to pay The remaining two trials are expected to begin next month after jury selection.
Jury selection in the Connecticut case could resume this week, attorneys said.