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Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

bbc.com

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Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#41

Post by titzer »

drexlspivey wrote: post #10
Loughla wrote: post #4

So all the memes aside, is anyone else astounded at how poorly that went for Alex Jones? Just a shit-show nearly the entire time. From his terrible legal representation, to his own terrible testimony. Just a mess. I mean, his 'on-air' personality is a mess, but I always sort of thought it was just a show. It's interesting to me that it turned out he really is just an absolute train-wreck of a person.

I am astounded how someone can sit on the stand and spew lie after lie after lie under oath with no repercussions.

If there are no consequences for anything, the system is coming apart. There is a good goddamn reason why lying under oath, or even lying to investigators, is a crime, because truth is the bedrock of accountability. Truth is always the first victim of psychopaths.

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#42

Post by hotpotamus »

horsawlarway wrote: post #15
drexlspivey wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am astounded how someone can sit on the stand and spew lie after lie after lie under oath with no repercussions.

Frankly - this is where I am. The system falls apart if it can't enforce its own rules, and if we don't see some serious perjury charges here, I think it's a very bad sign. The message will no longer be: It's unacceptable to cheat and lie to win. It will be: Cheat and lie better. -- edit: I'd like to see at least two felony perjury charges against Jones. Ideally with max sentences.

I always wonder what truly unlimited free speech would mean. How is it possible that perjury would be a crime? Fraud - just free speech right? And if money is speech, then corruption is just free speech as well. It doesn't really feel like it breaks the system down, it's more like does/did the system even exist?

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#43

Post by superb-owl »

nrmitchi wrote: post #32
superb-owl wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean...$4M is definitely a repercussion. But yeah, TBH he should probably spend time in jail.

$4M is a repercussion for spending years making up conspiracy theories and targetting the families of dead children. Also note that this is compensitory damages only, and hasn't even touch on punitive damagers yet. It has nothing to do with his perjury.

Yeah for sure. My impression though is that the perjury played a role in the decision here though...the opposing counsel definitely made a point of highlighting it over and over.

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#44

Post by khuey »

nrmitchi wrote: post #32
superb-owl wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean...$4M is definitely a repercussion. But yeah, TBH he should probably spend time in jail.

$4M is a repercussion for spending years making up conspiracy theories and targetting the families of dead children. Also note that this is compensitory damages only, and hasn't even touch on punitive damagers yet. It has nothing to do with his perjury.

Punitive damages are capped at low amounts in Texas and may not happen at all since they require unanimity (which the jury did not have on the compensatory verdict).

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#46

Post by dymk »

lalaland1125 wrote: post #2

That's probably still a net profit for Alex Jones. According to the documents discussed in court he makes $800,000 a day from his show. If anything, he probably made more covering his own trial than what the trial cost.

Money isn’t much good if you can’t spend it because you’re behind bars. I look forward to the perjury charges and imprisonment.

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#48

Post by lbriner »

jebronie wrote: post #33
drexlspivey wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am astounded how someone can sit on the stand and spew lie after lie after lie under oath with no repercussions.

A person isn't lying if they think they are telling the truth.

I assume you mean that it's a defence that you thought it was true so you didn't commit a crime. That might be true at the beginning but I'm sure high-profile people like Alex Jones have enough exposure for people to put them straight at which point it becomes less of an excuse!

Re: Alex Jones must pay $4M in damages for Sandy Hook hoax claims

#50

Post by MilaM »

I'm not familiar with the legal system in the US. How much of the awarded money does the plaintiff actually receive as compensation in such a case? Do they have to share some of the awarded money with the lawyers? Also, are they also entitled to the punitive part of the damages?

I'm asking because in many EU jurisdictions the equivalent of the punitive damages goes to the state or sometimes to charity organizations.

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