Texas jury orders Alex Jones to pay additional $42.5 million in punitive damages

Alex Jones has been ordered to pay $42.5 million to pay Sandy Hook parents in addition to a previous figure of $4.1 million.US conspiracy theorist and far-right figure Alex Jones was ordered on Friday to pay an additional $45.2 million (€44.3 million) in punitive damages to the parents of a 6-year-old boy killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. The defamation case was brought against Jones due to his claim that the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut was a "hoax." The sum is in addition to the $4.1 million in compensatory damages already awarded to the parents of one of the victims of the shooting. The amount is less than the $150 million sought by the parents of the victim. In total, 19 children and six teachers were killed in the shooting, which is the US' deadliest to date. Jones called the amount of compensatory damages awarded a "major victory." Punitive damages are meant to punish defendants for egregious conduct. The family's attorneys urged jurors to hand out a punishment that would put Jones' far-right website Infowars out of business. This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more details become available.