The father of a six-year-old killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting said that Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist, made his life a "living hell." Jones claimed the 2012 school attack that killed 20 first-graders and six staffers was a hoax or faked and involved "actors" to increase gun control.
Neil Heslin and his wife, Scarlett Lewis, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, sued Jones and his media company Free Speech Systems over harassment and threats they and other parents have endured because of Jones and his Infowars website.
The trial would decide how much Jones has to pay for propagating the lie that the 2012 school shooting was a hoax. ABC News reported the couple is seeking at least $150 million in damages.
Restoring the legacy and honor of their son
The father shared in his emotional testimony that he had endured online abuse, anonymous phone calls, and harassment on the street. The bereaved father said his car and home had been shot, and his family had to be in isolation under security after an "encounter" in Austin.
He recalled holding his son with a bullet through his head, describing the damage on his six-year-old son's body, which Jones claimed in his 2017 Infowars broadcast was false. The father said that an apology from Jones was not good enough.
Lewis also testified on Tuesday, with much of her testimony directed at Jones. At some point, she asked Jones if he thinks she is an actor. Jones responded that he did not believe Lewis was an actor. The judge admonished him to stay quiet until it was his turn to testify. The mom also spoke directly to Jones about the devastating impact of his conspiratorial claims. The mom now sleeps with a gun, knife, and pepper spray near her bed due to the harassment from Infowars followers, a psychiatrist testified.
According to The Independent, Jones continued to defame Lewis on his show.
Reprimanded for not telling the truth under oath
Jones was not in court during Lewis's testimony. He also skipped much of the testimony during the two-week trial. NPR noted that he had a cadre of bodyguards in the courtroom when he showed up. Lewis described Jones' absence as "cowardly."
When the Infowars founder took the stand, he apologized to the parents, saying he did not intend the hurt them. He also tried to promote his business. He boasted about the quality of vitamins sold on his conspiracy theory site. The judge reprimanded Jones for lying under oath, saying that his beliefs do not mean the truth.
When the judge left the room, Jones confronted the bereaved parents while trying to shake their hands. When the parent's lawyers refused to do so, Jones replied by asking, "Why because you can't feed them fake videos?"
The prosecution motioned for sanctions against Jones and his lawyer because he did not comply with discovery, is continually lying on the stand, and is not bankrupt, as he claims.
