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 Bellis that he appear for a deposition on March 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas, where is 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 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 explanation by two Jones physicians were unconvincing.
An attorney for the Sandy Hook victims said Jones was broadcasting during the times the depositions had been scheduled and told his audience his condition was caused by a sinus blockage
At the conclusion of a brief hearing in Waterbury, Bellis said Jones can have her contempt order purged if he sits for two days of deposition in Connecticut. In the meantime, she ordered him to as much as $50,000 a day until the depositions take place. If he failes to appear, she said she is ready to impose a variety of additional sanctions.
