HARTFORD, Conn. — The Sandy Hook families who won nearly $1 billion from far-right broadcaster Alex Jones want another $320 million or so more to cover their legal costs, along with court orders that would force him to produce an accounting of his assets and block what they describe as his “fraudulent” attempts to conceal them.
The $320 million or so for legal fees and expenses — should Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis accept the figure — would comprise one category of punitive damages the jury awarded against Jones on Oct. 12. The jury also said Jones is liable for another yet-to-be determined and potentially far greater punitive award for violating the state’s unfair trade practices law, known by the acronym CUTPA.
Punitive damages are awarded for especially egregious behavior. They are separate from the $965 million award, which the jury said is compensation for the relatives and one first responder who sued Jones for a decade of abuse from people who believe his claims that the 2012 school massacre was a hoax and they are actors in a scheme contrived by opponents of gun ownership.
