Alex Jones, after incurring thousands in fines, finally sits for Sandy Hook case deposition
Jones has been found liable for false school shooting statements, penalty to soon be determined
Alex Jones was being questioned Wednesday by lawyers for families of Sandy Hook victims in Connecticut, where a judge had ordered the Infowars host to face mounting fines until he appeared for a deposition.
Relatives of some of the 20 children and six educators killed in the 2012 Newtown, Conn., massacre sued Jones for defamation after he said the shooting never happened. A judge found Jones liable for damages and a trial on how much he should pay the families is set for August.
Jones, who lives in Texas, had defied a judge's order to appear for a deposition in the case, saying he was too ill.
But Connecticut Judge Barbara Bellis said there wasn't enough evidence that Jones was too sick to attend and ordered him to come to Connecticut for questioning and pay escalating daily fines until he did so. Jones paid $25,000 US in fines for Friday and $50,000 in fines for Monday, according to court records.
A spokesperson for the families and their lawyers at Bridgeport-based Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder declined to comment on the deposition Wednesday.
Jones said in a video on the Infowars website that the deposition began Tuesday and was to continue Wednesday.
"These people want to put us in prison for our speech," Jones said.
Jones missed the originally scheduled deposition in the case on March 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas. He cited a health issue including vertigo that his doctors initially thought was a serious heart problem but turned out to be a sinus infection.
The plaintiffs have said they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones's followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his online show. Jones has since conceded the shooting did happen.