Alex Jones Seeks US Supreme Court Intervention to Halt $1.4 Billion Defamation Judgment
Alex Jones Appeals to U.S. Supreme Court Over Defamation Judgment
High Stakes for Alex Jones and InfoWars
Alex Jones, a controversial right-wing figure, has escalated his legal battle to the United States Supreme Court, seeking to halt a substantial defamation judgment linked to his previous false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting. In this tragic incident, 20 children and six adults lost their lives, a fact Jones wrongly labeled as a hoax.
InfoWars and The Onion: A Controversial Transition
Jones’ urgent plea to the Supreme Court comes as a response to prevent his platform, InfoWars, from being acquired by the satirical news publication, The Onion. The acquisition deal, made at a bankruptcy auction last year, involved The Onion purchasing InfoWars for $1.75 million in cash. Additionally, the offer included a $5 million credit sourced from families of the Sandy Hook victims, who previously secured a $1.4 billion judgment for defamation and emotional distress against Jones.
Supreme Court Deliberations
The Supreme Court is slated to privately discuss Jones’ appeal this Friday. His current legal appeal marks the latest chapter in his ongoing attempts to contest both the defamation ruling and the sale of InfoWars.
First Amendment Defense and Audience Reach
Alex Jones, after issuing an apology admitting the irresponsibility of his claims, insists on his belief that the attack was indeed “100% real.” His legal team references his First Amendment rights, emphasizing the influential size of his audience. In 2016, Jones claimed a sizable daily radio audience reaching 5 million, accompanied by over 80 million monthly video views and 10 million visits to the InfoWars website.
Implications for Journalists and Media
Jones’ attorneys argue that upholding the judgment against him could set a precarious precedent for journalists, potentially instigating fear of large defamation suits, particularly in ideologically divided regions. They caution that without intervention, the acquisition of InfoWars by The Onion could lead to the platform’s closure, labeling the situation as a “trial by sanction.”
This ongoing legal development poses significant implications not only for Alex Jones and InfoWars but also for the broader journalistic landscape under the scrutiny of defamation law.
