HARTFORD, Conn. - The Connecticut appeals court has recently upheld $75,000 in fines against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for failing to attend a deposition in the lawsuit brought by Sandy Hook families. The deposition absence contributed to a $1.4 billion judgment against Jones for repeatedly claiming that the 2012 Newtown school shooting was a hoax.

Jones, who hails from Austin, Texas, cited illness and doctor's recommendations as reasons for his absence from the questioning in March 2022. However, it was revealed that he hosted a live broadcast of his Infowars show during the same time. Jones eventually appeared for a deposition in Connecticut the following month and received a refund for the fines he had paid.

In a unanimous ruling, the state Appellate Court concurred with the trial court's judgement. Judge José Suarez stated that Jones' decision to conduct a live radio broadcast during the same period contradicted his claim of being too ill to attend the deposition. The court concluded that the circumstances suggested a willful failure on Jones' part.

Jones claimed to be suffering from vertigo initially believed to be a serious heart condition but was later diagnosed as a sinus infection. His lawyer, Norm Pattis, expressed intention to appeal the Appellate Court's ruling to the Connecticut Supreme Court.

Pattis argued that Judge Barbara Bellis' contempt finding and the subsequent fine were unjust, asserting that she disregarded sworn statements from Jones' doctors attesting to his illness preventing attendance. Pattis emphasized that the fines, though minimal compared to the $1.4 billion judgment, were significant in terms of the principle at stake. He criticized Bellis for prioritizing docket management over medical confidentiality and advice.

Representing the Sandy Hook families, attorney Alinor Sterling dismissed Jones' criticism as baseless. Sterling highlighted that Jones had flagrantly violated court orders, claiming illness while simultaneously broadcasting his show live. She defended the judge's decision to impose consequences for his actions.

This ruling by the Appellate Court comes just after the 11th anniversary of the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in which 20 first-graders and six educators lost their lives. Sandy Hook families filed a defamation and infliction of emotional distress lawsuit against Jones in Connecticut, accusing him of perpetuating the false narrative that the shooting never happened and was staged by "crisis actors" aiming to advance gun control measures.

During a monthlong trial in late 2022, eight victims' relatives and an FBI agent shared their experiences of threats and harassment by individuals denying the shooting. The jury awarded the families and the FBI agent $965 million, with Judge Bellis adding another $473 million in punitive damages.

Jones previously faced another trial in Texas in 2022, where he was ordered to pay nearly $50 million to the parents of a child killed in the Sandy Hook shooting for calling it a hoax. Another trial in Texas, filed by two other parents, is still pending.

Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems, have filed for bankruptcy reorganization. The final amount Jones will be required to pay the Sandy Hook families will be determined by the bankruptcy court judge. Jones is currently appealing both the Connecticut and Texas judgments.