HARTFORD, Conn. — A Superior Court judge on Wednesday found conspiracy theorist and Infowars host Alex Jones in contempt of court and imposed a fine of up to $50,000 a day for what she called his “willful” violation of her orders that he submit to questioning at a deposition by families of victims of the Sandy Hook School killings.
After a series of delays, Jones failed to comply last week with repeated orders by Barbara Bellis that he appear for a deposition on March 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas, where his internet broadcasting company is located. Relatives of the children murdered in the 2012 school shooting in Newtown have been trying for years to question him in connection with their suit filed in response to his broadcast assertions that the shootings were a hoax.
Jones claimed he was unable to sit for the deposition because of a health condition that is aggravated by stress. But Bellis said medical explanations by two of Jones’ physicians were unconvincing. She said there is evidence that, even though Jones’ legal team said he was at home under medical care, he actually was broadcasting during the times the depositions had been scheduled and told his audience his condition was caused by a sinus blockage.
“With respect to the question of contempt, the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant Alex Jones, willfully and in bad faith, violated without justification several clear court orders requiring his attendance at his depositions on March 23 and 24,” Bellis said in court.
At the conclusion of a brief hearing in Waterbury, she said Jones can have the contempt order purged if he sits for two days of deposition in Connecticut by April 15. In the meantime, she ordered him to pay as much as $50,000 a day, until the depositions take place. If he were to fail to appear, she said she would be ready to impose additional penalties.
Delays in moving the suit forward have tested Bellis’ patience. Late last year she took the extraordinary step of issuing a default order against Jones — effectively settling the suit in favor of the families and leaving only the question of damages against him and his businesses unresolved.
Bellis said in court Wednesday that she will not deviate from the existing schedule, which calls for selecting a jury in August and beginning a trial on Sept. 1. Because of the default order, the only question before the jury will be the amount of damages Jones is ordered to pay the victim families. How — or if — Jones answers deposition questions will be a important part of the damage calculation.
The fine imposed on Jones begins Friday at the rate of $25,000 payable to the state judiciary, skips the weekend and increases to $50,000 on Monday. If Jones were to submit to two days of deposition by April 15 at the Bridgeport offices of the victim lawyers, Bellis said her contempt order would be lifted and the money refunded.
Jones’ lawyer Cameron Atkins told Bellis his client has always been willing to be deposed and his absence was based only on medical advice. The only possible impediment Atkins mentioned could be a conflict between a requirement by the victims’ law firm, Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, that visitors wear masks because of the coronavirus pandemic and Jones’ refusal to wear one.
Bellis said she would not force Jones’ appearance for a deposition by issuing an order for his arrest and incarceration. But she said she would not prevent victim lawyer Christopher Mattei from pursuing such an order in Texas, where Jones lives.
However, should Jones not comply with the April 15 deadline, Bellis said she would consider an order that would preclude Jones from presenting the jury any evidence in his favor, as well as instructing jurors that they should hold Jones’ refusal to be deposed against him. Finally, Bellis said she is inclined to order Jones to pay the victims’ lawyers $40,000 to cover costs associated with their trip to Texas last week for the deposition that did not take place.
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