‘I’m Done Saying I’m Sorry,’ Alex Jones Tells Sandy Hook Families in Court

WATERBURY, Conn. — Alex Jones’s preliminary day of testimony in a trial for damages after years of mendacity concerning the Sandy Hook shootings resulted in chaos.

Confronted on Thursday with the hurt he had carried out by repeatedly mendacity on his Infowars radio and on-line present that Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie died within the bloodbath, was an actor, Mr. Jones erupted in a rant that drew a contempt menace by Choose Barbara Bellis of State Superior Court docket.

“Is that this a wrestle session? Are we in China? I’ve already mentioned I’m sorry, and I’m carried out saying I’m sorry,” Mr. Jones responded, as his lawyer shouted objections.

Mr. Jones was set off by Chris Mattei, a lawyer for the households of the Sandy Hook victims, who pointed to Mr. Parker within the courtroom as he questioned Mr. Jones on the stand. “Robbie Parker’s sitting proper right here,” Mr. Mattei mentioned. “He’s actual, isn’t he? And for years you place a goal on his again, didn’t you? Identical to you probably did each single dad or mum and cherished one sitting right here.”

“No, I didn’t,” Mr. Jones mentioned.

“Why don’t you present a little bit respect, Mr. Jones?” Mr. Mattei mentioned. “You’ve gotten households on this courtroom right here that misplaced kids, sisters, wives, mothers.”

Choose Bellis rebuked Mr. Jones. “This isn’t a press convention, that is clearly not your present,” she mentioned. “You must respect the method.”

On the finish of the day, after the jury had gone, she warned Mr. Jones in addition to his lawyer, Norm Pattis, that she would implement a zero-tolerance coverage on Friday for ignoring her orders about decorum within the courtroom. Mr. Pattis had repeatedly objected as his shopper shouted.

“You possibly can count on a contempt listening to if anyone steps out of line,” Choose Bellis mentioned. “And Mr. Jones, identical factor.”

Mr. Jones for years unfold lies on Infowars that the Dec. 14, 2012, capturing that killed 20 first graders and 6 educators at Sandy Hook Elementary College in Newtown, Conn., was a authorities pretext for gun management. Late final yr, Mr. Jones misplaced 4 separate defamation lawsuits filed by the households of 10 Sandy Hook victims, who had endured years of on-line torment and threats from conspiracy theorists who believed Mr. Jones’s bogus claims.

The households’ sweeping victory set in movement three trials for juries to determine how a lot Mr. Jones should pay the households in compensatory and punitive damages.

Within the first trial, a jury in Austin, Texas, in August awarded Scarlett Lewis and Neil Heslin, dad and mom of Jesse Lewis, who died at Sandy Hook, practically $50 million, however Texas legislation caps that verdict at far much less.

Within the present trial, the second of the three, households of eight Sandy Hook victims sued Mr. Jones in Connecticut, the place state legislation permits for a probably ruinous monetary verdict. The households say they sued Mr. Jones to carry him to account for the web abuse, confrontation and demise threats they acquired from individuals who believed his Sandy Hook lies.

Mr. Jones’s effort to defend himself on Thursday was punctuated by violations of the decide’s order barring mentions of partisan politics or politicians.

As Mr. Jones’s testimony bought underway, he tried to solid the trial in political phrases, saying crucial factor to him is “crushing the globalists.” At different occasions he professed little data of assaults on the households, the trial and the decide that he and different Infowars employees members had made on his present, and mentioned he didn’t recall issues he had mentioned as not too long ago as the day past.

Mr. Mattei identified that Mr. Jones had given information conferences exterior the courthouse, watched the trial on-line and maligned it on his present as a “kangaroo courtroom.” He has additionally arrange a “kangaroo courtroom” internet web page to encourage viewers to financially assist his authorized protection.

At one level Mr. Mattei started a query to Mr. Jones by saying, “There’s going to be one other mass capturing, isn’t there?”

Mr. Jones interrupted him. “Are you saying I’m going to shoot individuals?” he responded. “Prefer it’s my fault, individuals suppose I killed the youngsters. And that’s my reply to you.”

Mr. Jones’s testimony will resume on Friday.