AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas court on August 21, 2026, reduced a $50 million judgment against Infowars founder Alex Jones to $1.5 million. This ruling pertains to Jones' claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax. The decision does not impact a separate $1.4 billion judgment against Jones in Connecticut.
The Texas Third Court of Appeals found that parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis did not provide sufficient evidence to exceed the state’s $750,000 cap on damages for each plaintiff. Their son, Jesse Lewis, was among the victims of the shooting.
Despite the financial judgments, Jones has not made any payments as he continues to appeal. During the trial, Jones acknowledged that the shooting was real and admitted to lying about it. Following the ruling, he described it as a significant victory for the First Amendment and stated his intention to appeal to the state Supreme Court.
Jones' attorney, Andino Reynal, had indicated that they would seek to reduce the damages amount, which has now been set at $1.5 million. Jones and his company are currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Additionally, the satirical website The Onion has launched a parody of Jones' Infowars, aiming to transform the platform into a site for satire.