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DesertRat

(27,995 posts)
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 05:10 PM Jan 2019

Families of Sandy Hook shooting victims win legal victory in lawsuit against InfoWars, Alex Jones

Source: ABC News

Six families of victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School won a legal victory Friday in their fight against controversial radio and internet personality Alex Jones.

A judge in Connecticut has granted the families’ discovery requests, allowing them access to, among other things, InfoWars’ internal marketing and financial documents.

The judge has scheduled a hearing next week to decide whether to allow the plaintiffs’ attorneys to depose Jones.

The families sued Jones and InfoWars for defamation and accused him of perpetuating a “monstrous, unspeakable lie: that the Sandy Hook shooting was staged and that the families who lost loved ones that day are actors who faked their relatives’ deaths.”

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/families-sandy-hook-shooting-victims-win-legal-victory/story?id=60314174

28 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Families of Sandy Hook shooting victims win legal victory in lawsuit against InfoWars, Alex Jones (Original Post) DesertRat Jan 2019 OP
Looking for 3 lil letters here GusBob Jan 2019 #1
K&R ck4829 Jan 2019 #2
Good! sue that rat bastard yuiyoshida Jan 2019 #3
Get ready for the Mr.Bill Jan 2019 #4
yep. sigh Kurt V. Jan 2019 #13
Not a defense to defamation. marybourg Jan 2019 #18
Right. These are private citizens too. He crossed the line. bitterross Jan 2019 #27
There doesn't even have to be proof that they "knew". marybourg Jan 2019 #28
Excellent! Cha Jan 2019 #5
Great news dalton99a Jan 2019 #6
Put that SOB out of business once and for all. George II Jan 2019 #7
National emergency Traildogbob Jan 2019 #12
If a punitive damages award was ever meant for anything, it was meant for what Jones did to them. SunSeeker Jan 2019 #8
K&R stonecutter357 Jan 2019 #9
Good, fuck that dick, Jones. geardaddy Jan 2019 #10
Looking forward to ALL of this bluestarone Jan 2019 #11
I predict the false equivalency defense jmowreader Jan 2019 #14
Good mountain grammy Jan 2019 #15
May the families prevail all the way cp Jan 2019 #16
Great news! smirkymonkey Jan 2019 #17
You expressed my views precisely. klook Jan 2019 #21
What's the difference between Alex Jones and a piece of shit? red dog 1 Jan 2019 #19
Actually, I believe that there is a difference... GReedDiamond Jan 2019 #20
And, mixed with soil and made into fertilizer, the shit is actually christx30 Jan 2019 #26
This is really great news. Thank You. Kind of Blue Jan 2019 #22
Sorry Alex. You're an ass. oldsoftie Jan 2019 #23
May all who put these people through even MORE hell after the deaths of their babies rot in Squinch Jan 2019 #24
Sometimes even Karma needs a firm shove tavernier Jan 2019 #25

marybourg

(12,631 posts)
18. Not a defense to defamation.
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 07:51 PM
Jan 2019

Maybe to copyright infringement, but not to defamation of character.

 

bitterross

(4,066 posts)
27. Right. These are private citizens too. He crossed the line.
Sat Jan 12, 2019, 04:32 PM
Jan 2019

He can rant and rave all he wants about the government and about Hillary and any other public figure. Once you place yourself on that stage, you have pretty much given up your ability to sue for defamation. The bar is too high.

These plaintiffs though, are normal, everyday people. None of them asked to be put into the spotlight. A very few of them made public statements but that's not the same as being a very public activist or politician.

When they find the e-mails and other documents that will indicate Jones and Infowars clearly knew they were propagating a lie he will lose. I have no doubt there will be documents where he and others discuss how it will or is positively affecting ratings so they should do more. Discuss strategies to make it "bigger and better."

marybourg

(12,631 posts)
28. There doesn't even have to be proof that they "knew".
Sat Jan 12, 2019, 05:28 PM
Jan 2019

The claim is so outrageous that it meets the “Sullivan” standard on its face. More would, of course, always be good.

Traildogbob

(8,739 posts)
12. National emergency
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 05:43 PM
Jan 2019

5.7 billion dollars for a real emergency, gun deaths, would go a long way for survivors medical bills, psyc help and burials. Not to mention the real potential cost of the wall, $30 billion and up. Every year more deaths than occurred in Vietnam, seems like a state of emergency to most Americans.

SunSeeker

(51,552 posts)
8. If a punitive damages award was ever meant for anything, it was meant for what Jones did to them.
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 05:37 PM
Jan 2019

I assume one of the reasons they are looking into his financials is to determine how high the punitive damages should be.

jmowreader

(50,557 posts)
14. I predict the false equivalency defense
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 06:07 PM
Jan 2019

They’re looking for all the bad things liberals have ever said about the Hard Right to shame us into silence. It won’t work, but that’s what they’ll do.

 

smirkymonkey

(63,221 posts)
17. Great news!
Fri Jan 11, 2019, 07:04 PM
Jan 2019

It's still not enough for all the pain and grief that bastard caused those families. I can't believe how unspeakably cruel this vicious, politically motivated lie was. He will never suffer enough for what he has done.

klook

(12,154 posts)
21. You expressed my views precisely.
Sat Jan 12, 2019, 12:26 AM
Jan 2019

To heap that kind of cruelty on these suffering families, who’ve endured unspeakable horror and devastation — I can’t even fathom how someone can be that evil.

Squinch

(50,949 posts)
24. May all who put these people through even MORE hell after the deaths of their babies rot in
Sat Jan 12, 2019, 10:26 AM
Jan 2019

the deepest circle of hell.

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