The conspiracy theorist and InfoWars founder faces another legal setback in his ongoing battle against defamation charges.
According to AP News, the Connecticut Supreme Court has rejected Alex Jones' request to appeal the $1.4 billion verdict awarded to Sandy Hook families for his false claims about the 2012 school shooting being a hoax.
The court's decision, made without explanation on Tuesday, upholds the 2022 trial court verdict and a December appeals court ruling that maintained most of the damages.
The verdict stems from Jones' repeated assertions on his InfoWars platform that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six educators, never occurred.
The December ruling by the state Appellate Court preserved $965 million of the original damages awarded to the victims' families.
This verdict runs parallel to a separate Texas case where two other Sandy Hook parents secured nearly $50 million in damages, which Jones is also appealing.
Jones' legal team raised constitutional concerns, including free speech rights and procedural issues, in their Connecticut appeal. The conspiracy theorist expressed his frustration during his InfoWars show on Wednesday, maintaining that his appeal had merit.
Sterling, representing the Sandy Hook families, shared their perspective on the court's decision:
The state Supreme Court's decision brings the Connecticut families another step closer to their goal of holding Alex Jones accountable for the harms he caused and will enable them to press forward with collections proceedings against him.
During the defamation trial, family members provided devastating testimony about the trauma they endured from Jones' conspiracy theories and the subsequent harassment from his followers. Their accounts detailed the profound impact of Jones' false narratives on their lives while grieving their loved ones.
Jones has since publicly acknowledged the reality of the shooting, declaring it "100% real." However, this admission came after years of promoting unfounded theories that caused significant distress to the bereaved families.
The financial implications of these legal battles led Jones to file for personal bankruptcy protection in late 2022. The bankruptcy case continues as discussions persist regarding the proposed liquidation of Jones' and InfoWars' assets.
The Connecticut Supreme Court's rejection of Alex Jones' appeal marks a significant milestone in the Sandy Hook families' pursuit of accountability. The $1.4 billion verdict, combined with the Texas judgment, represents one of the largest defamation awards in U.S. history.
The case now moves toward the collection phase, though Jones maintains the option to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the ongoing bankruptcy proceedings will determine how much of the verdict the families can ultimately recover from Jones and his media company.
