Alex Jones skips deposition in Sandy Hook settlement, defying court order

Authored by newstimes.com and submitted by KatzDeli

Alex Jones failed to show up for a deposition scheduled Wednesday morning in Austin, Texas, as part of settlement proceedings in defamation lawsuits filed by the families of children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

A Connecticut Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that a physician’s note submitted only for the judge’s viewing did not provide enough evidence on its claim that Jones was “confined to his home” as a result of “medical conditions” making it impossible for him to sit for the scheduled, in-person deposition.

In her ruling, Judge Barbara Bellis questioned attorney Kevin Smith, representing Jones, over his client’s doctor’s note suggesting he was “confined” to his home under a physician’s supervision.

In a notice filed Wednesday morning, Smith confirmed his client conducted his broadcast during the Tuesday hearing, and that it took place at, “Mr. Jones’ usual and customary studio in Austin, Texas,” and clarified, “the studio is not located in Mr. Jones’ home.”

Attorneys representing the families said Jones’ defense counsel, Norman Pattis, arrived at the in-person questioning, scheduled for 9 a.m. local time, and told them Jones would not be showing up as a result of an unnamed medical condition — despite broadcasting his “Infowars” show from a studio outside his house the day before, according to his attorneys.

“This, in our view, was a cowardly display intended to cheat the plaintiffs of their right to put him under oath and ask him questions about why over the course of many years he lied about them,” attorney Christopher Mattei told reporters via Zoom.

Jones’ defense counsel said his, “nonappearance comes upon the advice of a physician who arrived in Austin to visit him on March 20, 2022,” according to a court filing.

The filings continue, stating that Jones, “so alarmed the physician” while being observed on Monday, “that he insisted on conducting a physical examination” and, “immediately advised Mr. Jones to go to an emergency room or call 911.”

Jones refused to call emergency services. After the episode, “the physician advised him to stay home, which Mr. Jones did not do. The physician subsequently arranged for a comprehensive medical workup to be conducted for Mr. Jones on March 23, 2022.”

Mattei said immediately after learning Jones, a controversial talk show host, would not be at the deposition Wednesday morning, the plaintiffs’ legal team asked a Connecticut court to direct Jones to appear at 9 a.m. Thursday. The court granted the request.

Pattis said in a statement that Jones missed the deposition because he was at “a medical appointment.” Pattis couldn’t be reached for further comment but, according to Mattei, said he has, “no indication that [Jones] is going to appear” on Thursday.

The families’ legal team requested the court consider compelling Jones to appear for the deposition if he continues to defy court orders and dodge his appearance.

“What we have requested is that if Mr. Jones’ does not comply with the court’s order to appear tomorrow it should issue a ‘capias,’ which is essentially the equivalent in a bench warrant that would authorize Mr. Jones’ arrest and production at a location to give sworn testimony,” said Mattei.

The judge would only issue the capias if Jones does not attend the deposition Thursday or provide valid medical evidence of his conditions. If granted, the the order for Jones’ arrest would require assistance from a court in Texas.

The scheduling change represents the third date change for Jones’ deposition as attorneys for the families seek to question him for first time in the defamation lawsuits — frustrating an already painful process for their clients.

As the hearing took place Tuesday, Jones, a noted conspiracy-theorist radio and internet personality billing himself as a journalist, appeared to be broadcasting on his live daily show.

“The issue of whether today’s broadcast was from Mr. Jones’ studio or at his home can more easily be determined by Mr. Smith, who may have unknowingly misled the court into believe that Mr. Jones has been confining himself to his home,” Bellis wrote in her order to deny the motion.

The court notice offered to provide Jones’ studio address if requested but would only “...do so under seal because his studio location has been subject of harassment in the past.”

The deposition now scheduled for Thursday morning is part of the settlement proceedings as a result of two successful lawsuits brought against Jones by families of those killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, and one FBI agent who responded to the scene.

Jury selection for a trial to award damages is scheduled to begin in the middle of July.

In addition to the Connecticut defamation suits, families won three others filed in Texas. All five legal wins came by default after Jones refused to comply with court orders demanding documents and financial information.

“Our families have suffered a great deal already,” Mattei said Wednesday afternoon. “Mr. Jones has been defaulted in this case because he has already submitted false information and incomplete information.”

“I can’t say that we are shocked that he would try this desperate ploy, but they are determined, they are persistent, and they are going to keep going,” he added.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this story.

TechyDad on March 23rd, 2022 at 19:28 UTC »

They're claiming that Jones is confined to his house due to a medical condition - though they won't specify what that medical condition is or give any doctor name.

Meanwhile:

In a notice filed Wednesday morning, Smith confirmed his client conducted his broadcast during the Tuesday hearing, and that it took place at, “Mr. Jones’ usual and customary studio in Austin Texas,” and clarified, “the studio is not located in Mr. Jones’ home.”

So he's confined to his house for medical issues, but not when he wants to do his show?

I hope this judge says "I hereby award the Sandy Hook families everything they asked for plus an extra thousand each due to Jones wasting the court's time!"

zemplis on March 23rd, 2022 at 19:14 UTC »

So issue a bench warrant and arrest him for contempt of court. Fucking enforce the law.

charlieblue666 on March 23rd, 2022 at 18:57 UTC »

To be fair, he's busy shopping online for a condo in non-extradition countries. He's also seriously considering fleeing to Belarus.