Alex Jones’ Sandy Hook jury sent home after defense decides against putting him on the stand

Infowars host Alex Jones declined to take the stand Friday for his defamation trial in Waterbury, Conn., one day after his testimony went off the rails.

Before leaving town for the weekend, the bombastic right-wing pundit stood outside the courthouse, calling the case “rigged” and “an absolute, total fraud.”

A six-person jury will decide on punitive and compensatory damages Jones owes eight of the families who lost loves ones in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. The family members have said that their lives were further turned upside down by his false claims that the mass shooting was a hoax meant to influence public sentient regarding gun control measures.

The plaintiff’s attorney told the court shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday that they had been informed the defendant was returning to his Texas home. He is expected back in Connecticut next week.

Judge Barbara Bellis ruled Friday that the defense had decided not to cross-examine Jones at this time, which is its right.

Bellis asked attorneys if it was true that outside the courthouse, Jones said jurors should do “their own research.” That would be a violation of the court’s instructions to jurors that they avoid coverage of the trial. Jones’ attorney said he was unaware of his client making any recommendations to jurors.

Whether jurors heard Jones’ suggestion is unclear.

Jones’ attorney told the court that a break from testimony might “lower the temperature” following Thursday’s heated exchange between the 48-year-old broadcaster, the plaintiff’s counsel and the judge. The “Infowars” boss on Thursday told an attorney representing eight families harassed by Jones’ fans in the aftermath of his dubious reporting, “I’m done saying I’m sorry.”

Thursday’s testimony ended with Bellis asking Jones’ defense team, “How are we going to avoid this problem tomorrow?”

Roughly half an hour after taking the bench Friday, she told jurors the defense was exercising its right not to question Jones at this time and that they would likely do so Wednesday. The judge also advised jurors to “steer clear” of media coverage of the hearing in coming days as she gave them “an early start to the weekend.”

Jones was found responsible for making defamatory statements in 2021. Ongoing proceedings are strictly to determine damages. Bellis told jurors the case is on schedule to end in October.

In a similar trial last month in Austin, Texas, home to Jones and Infowars, a jury ordered Jones to pay nearly $50 million in damages to the parents of one of the children killed in the shooting, because of the hoax lies. A third such trial in Texas involving two other parents is expected to begin near the end of the year.

With News Wire Services