HARTFORD, Conn. — A Connecticut appeals court on Friday upheld $75,000 in fines against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for missing a deposition in the lawsuit by Sandy Hook families, which led to a $1.4 billion judgment against Jones for repeatedly calling the 2012 Newtown school shooting a hoax.
The state Appellate Court said that while Jones claimed an illness and doctor’s recommendations prevented him from attending the questioning in his hometown of Austin, Texas, in March 2022, he continued live broadcasts of his Infowars show at the same time. Jones later did appear for a deposition early the next month in Connecticut and was refunded the $75,000 in fines he paid.
“We agree with the trial court that the undisputed fact that the defendant chose to host a live radio broadcast from his studio … significantly undercuts his claim that he was too ill to attend the deposition,” Judge José Suarez wrote in the 3-0 ruling. “We conclude that the court reasonably inferred … that the defendant’s failure to attend his deposition … was willful.”
Jones has said he could not sit for the questioning because of a medical problem that included vertigo. He said his doctors first thought it was a serious heart issue, but it later turned out to be a sinus infection.
Jones’ lawyer, Norm Pattis, did not immediately return text and email messages Friday. It was not clear if he planned to appeal Friday’s decision to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Pattis had argued in his appeal brief that trial court Judge Barbara Bellis’ contempt finding against Jones and the fine were “manifestly unjust” because she disregarded sworn statements from Jones’ doctors that he was too ill to attend the deposition.
Pattis said that although the $75,000 in fines were small compared with the $1.4 billion judgment, “the principal and point he seeks to make here is significant.” He also criticized Bellis for faulting Jones for not providing more information on his…
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