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The Supreme Court on Tuesday (October 14) rejected Alex Jones' appeal to block a nearly $1.5 billion defamation judgment against him. The judgment stems from Jones' false claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax. The court declined to comment on its decision, leaving in place the state court ruling that held Jones liable for defamation and infliction of emotional distress.
A Connecticut jury initially awarded $965 million in damages to 15 plaintiffs, including families of the Sandy Hook victims. The judge later added $473 million in punitive damages. Jones' attorneys argued that the judgment amounts to a "financial death penalty" and is impossible to pay.
Jones, owner of Infowars through his company Free Speech Systems, had warned that without intervention, his website could be acquired by the satirical news site The Onion. The Onion previously attempted to acquire Infowars through a bankruptcy auction, but the auction results were nullified due to process issues.
Jones is also appealing a $49 million judgment in a similar defamation lawsuit in Texas. He filed for bankruptcy in late 2022, and efforts to liquidate Infowars' assets continue in Texas state court. Some of Jones' personal property is being sold as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, according to NBC News.