Testimony to begin in Alex Jones' Sandy Hook damages lawsuit

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Testimony is set to begin Tuesday in a Texas lawsuit to decide how much Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for falsely telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax.

The jury could deal Jones a major financial blow that would put his constellation of conspiracy peddling businesses into deeper jeopardy. He has already been banned from YouTube, Facebook and Spotify for violating their hate-speech policies and he claims he's millions of dollars in debt — a claim the plaintiffs reject.

The trial involving the parents of two Sandy Hook families is only the start for Jones. Damages have yet to be awarded in separate defamation cases for other families of the 2012 massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.

Jones was in the courtroom Tuesday after not attending jury selection on Monday. His attorney said Jones has a “medical issue” that might keep him away from some of the scheduled 10-day trial, but he didn't elaborate.

Jones arrived at the courthouse wearing a piece of silver tape over his mouth with the message “Save the 1st” printed on it — a reference to the First Amendment right to free speech. He removed it before entering the courtroom.

To take his seat at the defense table, Jones walked directly behind Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, who was one of the 20 first graders and six educators who were killed at Sandy Hook. Heslin and Lewis were escorted by plainclothes security to the courthouse and to the courtroom.

The lawsuits do not ask jurors to award a specific dollar amount against Jones. But in questioning the jury pool on Monday, attorneys for the families suggested they could seek $100 million or more in...