The US supreme court has rejected an legal challenge from the Infowars host and upheld his $1.4bn defamation penalty that was given to the families of victims from the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012.
Background of the Court Ruling
The Infowars founder had attempted to reverse the judgment, which he was ordered to pay after he spread misinformation about the school shooting.
Jones had earlier asserted the elementary school attack where students and staff members were murdered was a fabrication staged by crisis actors to promote stricter gun control.
The grieving relatives testified that his false statements led to intimidation from his supporters, making it impossible for them to heal from the devastating event.
Legal Ruling
The judicial body did not provide a reason for its decision, according to its orders list issued on Tuesday.
As part of his legal petition lodged in last month, Jones contended that a judicial officer was incorrect to rule against him for libel and emotional damage without holding a trial.
Jones insisted that the $1.4bn judgment "cannot possibly be settled", adding that "the consequence is a financial death penalty by fiat imposed on a content creator whose program attracts large audiences".
Bankruptcy Proceedings
Jones and his media organization, Free Speech Systems, filed for protection in 2022 after the massive ruling resulting from lawsuits filed in different jurisdictions.
A year later into his monetary records found that he had moved funds worth substantial amounts outside the reach of creditors as lawsuits from the grieving relatives along with judicial fines stacked up against him over the recent period.
Meanwhile, in the summer, the court-appointed official managing Jones's financial proceedings claimed of trying to conceal over five million dollars from those owed money.
Legal Response
In a statement on the supreme court's ruling, the families' attorney, an attorney acting for the affected parties, said: "The judicial body properly rejected Jones's latest desperate attempt to evade consequences for the distress he has inflicted. We expect carrying out the jury's historic verdict and ensuring compensation for what they have done."
