The $375 Million Dollar Left Behind: Alex Jones’s Plight Has Been Done Already, And Now He Has His Oasis

Anyone could have seen the blow coming. What the world didn’t expect was quite how much Alex Jones would have to pay for weaponizing disinformation and piling misery onto the Sandy Hook families as they mourned their lost loved ones.

A circuitous path will lead to delivering a $965 million verdict, plus court costs, to the families. There is also the $50 million awarded to two other Sandy Hook parents in a trial this past summer, and damages yet to be assessed in an upcoming third and final trial this year.

The verdict was so serious that it was seen as symbolic since Mr. Jones may have been worth a maximum of $270 million.

The judgement sends a message to anyone that plans to disrupt the lives of people for financial gain, to think twice, or be hit with a large damages payment. Stephen D. Solomon is a journalism professor and founding editor of First Amendment Watch, a news and educational resource site.

The jury that decided Jones’ level of financial punishment certainly seems to have taken to heart the words of Christopher Mattei, a lawyer representing the Sandy Hook families in Connecticut. “It is your job to make sure he understands the extent of the wreckage that he caused,” Mattei said in his closing argument, “because you know damn well he doesn’t get it.”

The Execution of a Murderer Revisited: A Case Study on the Florida Penalty for the Shooting of Jermaine Cruz

This decision could mark the end of a decade of users spreading disinformation on social media with few consequences, as platforms were reluctant to step in and censure them.

Editor’s Note: Joey Jackson is a criminal defense attorney and a legal analyst for CNN and HLN. The views expressed in this piece are his own. You can find more opinions on CNN.

One father of a slain teen said he was disgusted by the jury’s verdict. He was a sentiment that many people agreed on. If actions as twisted, abhorrent, heartless and callous as Cruz’s do not warrant death, it’s difficult to know of a circumstance that would. It is hard to forget the anguish and pain of those families, who wanted more, no matter what opinion is held on the death penalty. Can the Florida jury’s decision here be said to be just?

The case went to court because prosecutors wanted the death penalty. Last year, Cruz pleaded guilty for his actions which left 17 people dead and 17 injured at the high school. Prosecutors consulted with families and wanted to pursue the death penalty for the shooter.

In order for that result to be achieved, however, it would have required 12 jurors to unanimously conclude that such a penalty was warranted. Their mission was to decide whether “aggravating factors” associated with Cruz’s conduct – including the cold, calculated and premeditated nature of his actions – were enough to overcome the “mitigating factors.” His troubled upbringing and drug and alcohol use while he was still in the womb were some of the factors pointed to by the defense. Ultimately, with three jurors holding out, he will be sentenced to life without parole.

Given the $965 million that the families were awarded, it’s hard to say that the system didn’t work. But was the award so large as to be uncollectible? It could have meant more to him if a smaller award was given, as he would know what his ability to pay would be.

The families will never be able to see all of that award. Will Jones hide his money, use bankruptcy to shield himself from liability, and stonewall the families that appeal in order to stay ahead of his creditor?

Perhaps the system worked as it was supposed to when we stopped to think about it. Jones has been accused of misrepresentations and despicable behavior. He is paying a reputational price for his actions.

As such, those who spread conspiracy theories may think twice in the future. Even if families don’t see any money they have altered the conspiracy dynamic forevermore and the consequences for those who spread lies.

The Elephant in the Room: Reflection on Policy Issues During the 2022 Midterm Elections from a Lifetime of an Independent

Those are the perspectives of three of the hundreds of readers who shared stories with us about how they have been personally affected by key political issues coloring the 2022 midterm elections. Since the end of August, CNN Opinion has been collecting and curating these stories, focusing on illuminating how policy issues – inflation, abortion rights, climate change, Covid-19, education, gun violence and more – are making an impact on readers’ day-to-day lives.

A teacher at a community college in Texas working, in her words, “in an environment that feels more and more like a prison.” A lawyer from Massachusetts whose girlfriend had an abortion decades ago is now a successful lawyer and says that the thought of women of reproductive age being forced to birth an unwanted child into poverty and abuse is not something they want to think about. A New Yorker who after losing her father to Covid is still most afraid of gun violence: “The violence is everywhere and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before I’m a victim. I always have street smarts, but not enough these days.

Such anxiety and fatigue at the realities of American life were palpable from many of you, sometimes existentially so. “I want to hear from candidates for office exactly what measures they will put in place to stop global warming and save the world. Can any other issue even matter if we are facing our possible extinction?” asked Benjamin from Illinois. The reader wrote that his wife and he have always wanted to move back to the Southwest after they retire. But, we are concerned about the forest fires and drought, which are becoming the ‘new normal.’ I am thankful that the congressional Democrats are focused on climate change. And, I’m a bit shocked and disappointed that no Republicans are willing to vote for even modest bills that deal with the climate. Don’t they have children and grandchildren, too?”

I feel like I am stuck somewhere in an invisible middle ground as a lifelong conservative-leaning independent. While I share many (not all) basic conservative views, I feel that the MAGA crowd has taken this GOP to a place that I just cannot see any of us, outside of pure anarchists’, would want to go. Let’s not kid ourselves, while there are so many crucial issues facing us today of which these midterms stand to have major import. The elephant in the room (pun intended) is the looming possible return of Trump in 2024 and his influence on local, state and federal elected officials in these midterms. Should Trump manage to find his way back into office coddled by sycophantic election deniers at all levels, I truly fear our democracy may not survive.

On the other hand, when I listen to those on the left, they are so far from representing me that I feel I am purposely being pushed away – not welcome or wanted in that camp. I am all for inclusive, equal rights, tolerance, and open-mindedness but when it’s taken to a point where it becomes biased and closed-minded, it gets us nowhere.

So, of all these pressing issues we are faced with in these midterms, to me, without a doubt, the most pressing is this huge void between us. We no longer just disagree on these issues, but we despise, villainize and feel those who disagree with us are evil people looking to destroy our country. Not only is this sentiment not rejected and frowned upon by those who hold elected office, but it is often stoked mightily in attempts to appeal to respective bases, and garner votes. It looks like a brush fire. Unless we start seeing each other as fellow human beings perhaps with different views and opinions, and not as mortal enemies, nothing else will be solved.

My degree is an advanced degree and I am a working woman. I had to work and attend school to keep my debt under control. I got married during Covid, and I just bought a house last month amid soaring prices and interest rates because it was time for my family to invest in our future. Our lives don’t stop because of the pandemic, inflation or political war. I want a government that is proactive, not focused on forgiveness and snitching. Stop reacting to things as they happen, and start strategizing for the future – that’s how you’ll connect with these “ordinary Americans” you’re always touting.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/opinions/midterm-elections-reader-response-voting-motivations/index.html

I Am a Woman. I’m a Librarian, I am a woman. I am bisexual. I would like to vote in the midterm election

I am a librarian. I’m a woman. I am bisexual. I should be more interested in the mid-term election because of any of these three facts. I was brought up in the belief that it is my responsibility as a citizen to vote, and have missed very few since I turned 18. I sure won’t be missing this one.

I share stories and give access to information to people who need it. We cannot have equitable access to information unless we have appropriate libraries and freedom to carry materials which will allow people of color to see themselves and their stories represented. Without a way for people of the same sex to get information about their lives and know they’re not alone, they can’t stay healthy.

I am so afraid that I will get charged if I decide to have an abortion. I don’t have a lot of time left and so have decided not to take the risk of a hysterectomy, instead going to talk to my doctor. I am highly considering a major surgery because my state does not believe in my bodily autonomy.

If I fall in love with a woman and have it recognized by the state I live in, I would love to have the right to marry. I’m worried that I will lose that right.

These are three reasons that I have. However, I also have empathy toward people who are transgender and their families. The only people who should be making decisions about the medical care of the child are the parents and doctors of those children. Not the government.

I believe in equal access to the polls. There are moves against democratizing access to the polls. I believe the gun control, climate control, and health care legislation which were passed were a good start, but do not go far enough.

And most of all, while I don’t like the turn our country has taken for the last several years, I do love my country. I want it to live up to its potential. I wanted to be proud of it. I’ll use my voice this November.

I wish I didn’t have to vote out of fear. If a candidate had good ideas, I would consider them a Republican. Not anymore. The Republican Party has fully embraced Trumpism, along with its racism, misogyny, homophobia, antisemitism, corruption, authoritarianism, cruelty and White Christian nationalism. I would be happy to accept a Republican government if I did not agree with their policies. Now, I’d feel unsafe in my own country if they took over. I don’t just want the Republicans to lose these midterms. I would like to see them become a political party again.

The cost of living is the most direct impact today. My husband and I have been married 52 years and struggle every month to pay the bills and eat. We know we are luckier than some seniors. The two of us don’t blame inflation on a political party. The country was essentially shut down for 2 years, what did we expect? Everything else is the real stuff of nightmares. There is loss of rights, crazed fanaticism and children getting killed in the attack on the Capitol. I keep crying when I think of it. The emotional toll is far worse than not being able to afford a bag of potato chips! The politics of racism, book banning, and pure lunacy are all detrimental to one’s mental health. I want to see a day when I can feel proud of our flag. I hope I live to see my 90’s.

I’m not very fond of the midterms since I’m a California resident. On the other hand, national issues such as the overturning of the abortion law are incredibly urgent and motivating to help halt a red wave. On the other hand, local politics make me wary of voting for Democrats in state and city elections due to out-of-control liberal Democrats, homelessness, and crime.

Living in Los Angeles is different than it was when I lived here. I want to support Democrats nationally and ensure they hold the House and Senate, so they can protect my civil liberties and women’s rights – but California is a mess right now I can’t justify an all out “go Democrats” rally cry when the status of my home state and city is so dire. Likewise for New York CIty, which i called home for 10 years – it’s even scarier watching what is going on out there! My international friends now send me messages of sympathy and literal fear for my safety.

​​I used to vote across party lines. When the Supreme Court reversed itself, that was the end of it. I think the current Republican Party has gone off the rails. They have taken away basic fundamental rights for women managing their own health. The women’s reproductive health is between her and her provider. This is a very dangerous thing.

I am sick to my stomach about the loss of life that will occur because of a complete lack of understanding of medical conditions and pregnancy. The most dangerous time for a woman to have a baby is when she is pregnant. Old white men who have no medical training make medical decisions based on myths for women. Women can delay having children to have more time to be mentally, financially, and emotionally ready for children. It’s wrong to force pregnant women to have a baby. For that reason I will not be voting for Republicans in the near future or at all.

If the party continues to promote individual rights over the welfare of others, it will have a negative impact on the country as a whole, as I am a registered Republican. I am optimistic about the future, as I do believe that the majority of people will choose to do what is responsible for society as a whole.

As a college student, I have been most impacted by the costs of university education and Covid-19. Life post-high school is much more difficult because of mental health issues. I will be voting in November for candidates who will push for the reduction of college tuition and expand health care programs for low income Americans.

Something needs to be done about college costs. I attended Penn State from 1979-1983 and owed a total of $7500 when I graduated. I paid my loan off. I then went back to college to add another teaching certificate to address a critical need. I only took seven classes and owed $21,000. Until we rein in the cost of college, students graduating will continue to have insurmountable debt. I graduated from Covid. I was able to reduce my student loan by $10,000 because of a part-time evening teaching position. Why aren’t we addressing the problem of high cost and lack of funding by the federal government to keep the cost of college down?

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/opinions/midterm-elections-reader-response-voting-motivations/index.html

I’m a Physician: The Problem of Political Correctness and the Environmental Laws: How Do We Care? Why Should We Care About Our Country?

As a physician who cares for rural areas, I’ve been impacted a lot. I have voted in all of the major political parties over the years. I will not vote for the Republican party again because of its extreme change from its historic roots and the direct threat to my life and family.

They made it worse with abortion rights. My patients’ lives have changed. My ability to care for my community now might make me a criminal just for following the evidence-based recommendations to properly care for my patients.

It has been sad to keep watching and listening to what the farmers tell me about climate change and how it is affecting their businesses and ability to feed their families and all of ours. Hopefully politicians can do what they say they will: Keep government out of my exam rooms.

Gun violence. I have not been personally impacted because my family and I have not been victims. But it is so hard to send your babies to school every morning knowing that it might be the last time you see them. And the powers that be in my state will not do anything about it.

I worry about inflation but not epidemics because I believe there isn’t much we can do about them. I see those issues as reactive ones. All I can do is get my vaccinations and watch my spending. However, out of control rent increases scare me to death. I’m a retired senior and will be priced out of my apartment within a year. Gun violence (coupled with our systemic racism) is my top issue. We can do something about it. Why would any clear-thinking adult believe that any private citizen needs an assault rifle? Innocents die every day because there is so much posturing and sound bites. The woman has the right to choose between her doctor and herself. Period. I do not understand why a very vocal minority make such a big deal about this when a majority of Americans support her right to choose.

My hopes in the future are for a kind, gentle place to live and let live, as well as a greener planet. I used to not pay much attention to local elections. Never again. I vote now in every contest, I research the candidates, I use my unaffiliated status to work the others’ primaries, and I shall vote Democratic until I can longer take a breath.

I am a married White male with two college age children. The cost of Education is a major factor for our family. We hope our college savings will keep our children from having to take on too much debt. My biggest concern for the future, however, is how the balance in our culture between rights and responsibilities has gotten so far out of whack and how seething resentments drive so much of public discourse and policy and crowd out reasoned debate between people with legitimately differing views. It colors how issues are being addressed. In order to have a bright future, my greatest hope is that the young people of tomorrow are taking ownership of critical issues such as the March for Our Lives, or the students who are taking it upon themselves to provide RESPONSIBLE and factual sex education to their peers.

My wife is planning to be a librarian and both of us are afraid of the violent threats against libraries by all of these right wing groups with their anti-diversity views. In our community a group of Proud Boys came and disrupted a library diversity event. The door that the presenter had to escape from was a back door. We are very afraid for our freedoms being quelled through violence by the very people who call themselves “patriots.”

Beyond the conspiracy theories of Sandy Hook: exposing the perpetrators of misinformation on CNN and the Greene re-elected Representative of the United States

“I didn’t know what the change would be, but we would be part of it,” Hockley recently told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota for the CNN Special Report “Sandy Hook: Forever Remembered” airing on the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy.

A father whose public statement was mocked by Alex Jones after his daughter’s death testified in the conspiracy theorist’s recent Connecticut trial about a run-in with a man on the other side of the country.

Some of the relatives of Sandy Hook victims have faced death threats while their lawsuits against Jones are pending. A woman from Florida was sentenced to five months in federal prison for a series of threatening email and phone calls.

After Sandy Hook, crime victims and other ordinary Americans became targets in politically motivated misinformation campaigns like never before. After the mass shooting this year, there were many conspiracy theories surrounding it. The US Department of Homeland Security warned earlier this year that conspiracy theories about the shootings could lead to more violence.

Popular American conspiracy theories before Sandy Hook were focused on the shadowy forces within the government. So-called 9/11 “truthers,” for example, blamed the government for the attacks, but they generally left victims’ families alone.

The impact was horrendous, but some of the videos were widely shared, which showed how politicians would boost misinformation in the future. By the one-month anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, one popular conspiracy video on YouTube had been viewed more than 10 million times.

The targeting of ordinary Americans goes far beyond what people associated with crimes or tragedies do. Conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 pandemic and the safety of vaccines led to the harassment of nurses and other hospital workers. And election workers across the country have found themselves targeted by mainstream politicians and others pushing false claims of fraud in the 2020 election.

We have seen links between conspiracy theories and violence. The mob that stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 was motivated by the bizarre QAnon conspiracy theory and a disinformation campaign shouted from the White House.

outrageous false beliefs have become a litmus test in some Republican contests as a new rule regarding national politicians. One recently re-elected member of the US Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) – who promoted QAnon as a candidate – verbally attacked a teenage survivor of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida and has stoked doubts about Sandy Hook and other tragedies.

In the debate over guns, conspiracy theories and fake news have been used frequently. President Biden’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives – an important Justice Department agency to keep Americans safe that has been without a permanent head since 2015 – was undone last year in part by a campaign of nasty memes and disinformation about the nominee and his family.

The Sandy Hook 10-Year Anniversary: Daniel Barden and Dylan Hockley, Jr., a Connecticut State Senator and a Companion of John McKinney

They lived ordinary lives in a small town in New England that was not prepared for the catastrophe that was to come.

The lives of Daniel Barden, 7, and Dylan Hockley, 6, were among those cut painfully short that day. But in the long decade since, their spirit and memory have lived on in their parents’ devoted advocacy for safer communities.

The Sandy Hook Promise group first set its sights on gun reform. Along with other families, they sought bans on AR-15 assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, both of which were legally purchased by the shooter’s mother and used in the Sandy Hook attack.

“There were a lot of guns that our shooter could have chosen,” Hockley said in February 2016. He chose the rifle because he knew it would serve his purpose of killing as many people as possible in the shortest time possible.

Barden, Hockley and other Sandy Hook families found a sympathetic partner in John McKinney, their state senator and the highest-ranking Republican in Connecticut politics at the time.

“My immediate thoughts in terms of my role in the aftermath was, ‘I need to do, and I will do, anything humanly possible to help these families,’” McKinney said. I was very open with the other Republicans in our caucus. I said, ‘I’m going to go negotiate and work with the Democrats.’”

After months of meetings with victims’ families, town halls in the Newtown community and consultations with experts, McKinney and his colleagues unveiled their proposed legislation on April 1, 2013.

When then-Governor Dannel Malloy signed the bipartisan bill three days later, Connecticut had enacted some of the most sweeping gun legislation in the country. The new law expanded the state’s assault weapons ban and banned the sale of high-capacity ammunition; required a state-issued permit to purchase any rifle, shotgun or ammunition; and created the country’s first registry of individuals convicted of an offense with a deadly weapon.

According to CNN analysis of the Gun Violence Archive, Connecticut has no mass shooting of four or more deaths in the last four years.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/sandy-hook-10-year-anniversary/index.html

The Connecticut Legislature has a Gun: How Sammie and Pat Barden Approached the Legislature with Love, Logic, and Effort

He spoke about how they approached the Connecticut legislature with love and logic. I believe that the same approach of love and logic will convince Congress to act.

The National Rifle Association-endorsed Senators Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Penn., proposed a proposal in April that would have required criminal background checks for gun show and online purchases. The universal background check policy was supported by more than 80% of Americans and gave the gun reform movement a reason for hope.

The bill fell six votes shy of the required tally, because most Republican senators and five Democrats did not agree with each other.

I suppose there would have been a feeling that we are done if it were to have passed. Barden said that they have got that fixed. ” Sometimes you need a good defeat,’ said Sarah Brady, a gun control advocate. It kind of mobilizes people. They know what’s going on. It worked for me.

“We’ve always known this will be a long road, and we don’t have the luxury of turning back,” Barden said in the White House Rose Garden. “We will keep moving forward and build public support for common sense solutions in the areas of mental health, school safety, and gun safety.”

They worked to prevent tragedies before they started, after studying other mass shootings. Students and teachers are learning to identify, report and respond to behavioral clues that suggest someone may harm themselves or others.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/sandy-hook-10-year-anniversary/index.html

How gun lobbying failed a million times before he succeeded: Sandy Hook-10-Year-Anniversary “Lambda” Murphy

It was horrifying to fail so quickly. “But when you have a failure, sometimes that makes you look at things in a different way.”

But this time, the “social change movement” was stronger, the gun lobby was weaker and something shook loose. Working with a bipartisan coalition of senators that include Minority Whip John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, Murphy helped pass compromise legislation accepted as the first major federal victory for gun reform advocates in nearly three decades.

“I felt mortified. I felt like a failure. I went out of the chamber and there was a group of the families there,” including Barden, Murphy said. “He said to me something along the lines of, ‘Chris, I’m not an advocate for four months. I’m an advocate for 40 years. This is my child. I’m never giving up.’”

Murphy said that they were building a movement that needed time. In the last 10 years, I have given the same speech a million times to advocates. Every great social change movement in the country has failed a million times before it succeeded.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/sandy-hook-10-year-anniversary/index.html

The Case of Sandy Hook 10 Years Later: A Lifelong Club, a New Era in Gun Policy, and the Rise and Fall of the Gun Ownership Movement

In May, another young man armed with an assault-style rifle murdered children in another elementary school, this time in Uvalde, Texas. Once again, the families consoled the new members of a lifelong club as they grappled with their own frustration and grief.

Murphy would havepreferred the strength that it lacks. But he describes the legislation as both the culmination of a hard-fought decade and the opening of a new era in gun policy.

The long-toiling advocates saw other victories in 2022: In February, insurers for the gun manufacturer Remington Arms agreed to pay $73 million to victims’ families to settle a lawsuit centered on the company’s aggressive marketing of the assault-style rifle used at Sandy Hook.

The families care about access to the internal communications of Remington and the right to release the documents.

Barden will be part of a group of people who plan to release the documents in early 2023.

The families hope that the increase in Jones’ tab will discourage other conspiracy theorist from spreading harmful lies that lead to harassment.

One of the parties to one of the cases said that she was focused on getting the truth out there and stopping the bad behavior that took the life of her son. You have to find the courage to fight back when you get into a situation where you are being bullied.

The coalition of parents who have spent 10 years standing up to misinformation, powerful lobbies, and the seemingly endless march of American tragedy are just waiting for more work.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/14/us/sandy-hook-10-year-anniversary/index.html

The Barden-Hockley Dilemma: Why Do People Need to Be Seeing? Why Does the Bipartisan Gun Bill Need to End?

Jones has publicly rebuked the idea of paying “any money” to the families he has mocked and vowed to appeal his ruling. Since the bipartisan gun bill became law, 332 people have died in mass shootings in the United States, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

But Barden and Hockley show no signs of slowing down. They were excused for a conference call between their separate interviews. They discussed the guest list for an upcoming gala. They kept up the good health they’ve gained since the worst day of their lives.

Barden said that there will always be a need for people to be visible and acknowledged, as well as knowing that there are other people watching them. “There will always be a need for that, and so there will always be a need for this beautiful little, little project of ours.”