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Alex Jones buckles after legal team gaffe, FINALLY admits that Sandy Hook shooting was '100% real'

Sandy Hook victim's parents have filed a $150 million lawsuit against Alex Jones after being brutalized by those who believed his conspiracy theories

AUSTIN, TEXAS: For years, Alex Jones, a provocative far-right conspiracy theorist, told his millions of followers that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax, that no children were killed, and that parents were paid protesters in an elaborate conspiracy to impose gun control. A day after the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the 2012 attack testified about their suffering, death threats, and harassment as a result of what Jones has heralded on his media platforms, the Infowars host told a Texas courtroom that he believes the attack took place.

The far-right conspiracy theorist testified on Wednesday, August 3, jury that could charge him $150 million or more in damages for false claims, said that he now realizes that was irresponsible and that what happened in the deadliest school shooting in American history was "100% real". "Especially since I've met the parents. It's 100% real," Jones said at his trial, Associated Press reported.

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Jones' public admission came on the final day of testimony in a two-week defamation lawsuit against him and his Austin-based media company, Free Speech Systems, filed by Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis. Their son was a first grader who was among the 20 students and six teachers killed at the school in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. “I unintentionally took part in things that did hurt these people’s feelings,” said Jones, “and I’m sorry for that", he added.

The parents of the victims said the earlier day on Tuesday, August 2 that an apology will not suffice. And, his media company that he used to spread his false assertions must be held accountable. “Alex started this fight,” Heslin said, “and I’ll finish this fight.” The parents testified Tuesday about a decade of trauma, beginning with their son's murder and continuing with gunshots fired at the home, online and phone threats, and online harassment by strangers, all driven by Jones and his conspiracy theory spread to his followers via his website Infowars. Thus making their lives a “living hell”.

Jones was the only witness to testify in his own defense. His attorney asked if he now realizes it was "absolutely irresponsible" to spread false claims that the massacre did not occur and that no one died. Jones stated that he does, but added, "They (the media) will not let me take it back".

Heslin and Lewis sought $150 million in damages from an Austin jury for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Jones' attorney requested that the jury limit damages to $8 and Jones himself stated that any award in excess of $2 million "would sink us". During the testimony, Mark Bankston, an attorney for the family reviewed Jones' videos and of Infowars employees talking about the Sandy Hook conspiracy and mocking the parents.

Bankston also accused him of lying and trying to hide evidence, including text messages and emails about Sandy Hook. It also included internal emails sent by an Infowars employee that said “this Sandy Hook stuff is killing us.” Jones was informed that his attorneys had sent Bankston the last two years' worth of texts from Jones' cellphone by mistake. And, shortly after declaring, "I don't use email," Jones was shown one from his address, as well as another from an Infowars business officer telling Jones that the company had earned $800,000 gross in selling its products in a single day, amounting to nearly $300 million in a year.

Jones has already attempted to financially protect Free Speech Systems. Last week, the company filed for federal bankruptcy protection. Heslin and Lewis are among many Sandy Hook families who have filed lawsuits alleging that Jones's Sandy Hook hoax claims have resulted in years of abuse at the hands of him and his followers.