WATERBURY, Conn. — Both sides rested their cases Wednesday in the Sandy Hook defamation case against far-right broadcaster Alex Jones, who began trying almost immediately in a post-trial motion to limit the tens of millions of dollars in damages he could be ordered to pay families of victims of the school shooting.
But first, Jones said he would not testify or put on any defense at all, reversing the position he had taken since the start of the damages trial. He had his lawyer read a statement that amounted to another in a succession of criticisms of an unusual default ruling a year ago by presiding Judge Barbara Bellis that punished Jones for violating court orders and settled the suit in favor of the families suing him.
Jones’ lawyer, Norman A. Pattis, told the court his client believes that if he testified in accordance with the default ruling and related restrictions on what he could say, he would be testifying falsely and be guilty of perjury. If he violated the orders, Jones’ believes he would likely be found in criminal contempt of court.
