WATERBURY, Conn. — Infowars host Alex Jones is going on trial a second time for calling the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
The trial will be held at Waterbury Superior Court on Tuesday.
Last month, a Texas jury ordered Jones to pay $49.3 million to the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, one of 26 students and teachers killed in the 2012 mass shooting. Jones' lawyer has said they plan to appeal that ruling.
Tuesday's trial is about a jury determining the penalty, or how much money Jones should pay the Sandy Hook families for his unsubstantiated claims. Jury members will also hear evidence before making their decision.
Previously, Jones was found liable for defamation by a Connecticut judge.
The Connecticut case has the potential for a larger award because it involves three lawsuits — which have been consolidated — that were filed by 15 plaintiffs, including the relatives of nine of the victims and a former FBI agent who responded to the school shooting.
“The families are suing Mr. Jones for damaging their good character basically through their radio broadcast by saying that they were perpetuating these lies," said Jilda Aliotta, associate professor of politics, economics, and international studies at the University of Hartford.
The group suing says they have faced harassment, suffering and death threats by followers of Jones because of the hoax conspiracy.
The families also claim Jones raked in profits for his Texas-based media company by talking about the school shooting.
“We will expect that the families will testify about the impact this defamatory falsehood that Mr. Jones spread on his radio program affected them,” Aliotta said.
In a reversal to comments made on his show, Jones now said he does believe the shooting happened but maintains that his comments were protected under free speech.
“If questioning public events and free speech is banned because it might hurt somebody’s feelings, we are not in America anymore," he said at the deposition. "They can change the channel. They can come out and say I’m wrong. They have free speech.”
The families have not asked for any specific damages, some of which may be limited by state laws. However, there are no damage limits under the Unfair Trade Practices Act.
"This is the moment when disinformation goes on trial – when people who purvey disinformation against private citizens will be held accountable," said Richard Hanley, a professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University.
The trial is expected to last four weeks.
Jones is also facing a third trial in another lawsuit by Sandy Hook families in Texas.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Angelo Bavaro is an anchor and reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at abavaro@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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