Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:23 PM Alex Jones prepares to take the stand in his second defamation trial trends now

Alex Jones' second Sandy Hook defamation trial is currently heating up in Connecticut, as the embattled InfoWars host is set to take the stand to address comments he made that questioned the tragedy.

Arriving at the Waterbury courthouse Wednesday, Jones engaged in a full-scale meltdown outside the judicial building, asserting that he's apologized for the comments for years and that they should be protected by the First Amendment.

'As an American, I have a right to question something,' Jones told reporters outside the court, growing increasingly red-faced as he made his statement. 'I did say things that were hurtful and not true,' he admitted. 'As an American, I have a right.'

The spiel from the radio personality - who ballooned to pseudo-stardom during the 2016 election - also saw him accuse prosecutors of using his trial 'to go after the First Amendment.' 

The claim seemed to contradict previous assertions from Jones that liberals had been using the shooting to try to repeal the Second Amendment, not the First.

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Jones, who reaches an audience of millions through his Texas-based program, spent years claiming on-air that the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting was a hoax - and was found liable for those claims by Judge Barbara Bellis earlier this month.  

Last year, a Texas judge ordered pay more than $50million to the parents of one of 20 kids who died in the mass shooting by a Texas judge.

The current hearing, meanwhile - which is now in its sentencing stage - is being held to determine how much he should pay relatives of eight other victims and an FBI agent who responded to the scene of the 2012 massacre.

A Connecticut jury of three men and three women, meanwhile, will determine the exact amount Jones and InfoWars owes to relatives of the 26 killed in the shooting, which Jones had said was carried out by 'crisis actors.' He is set to testify Thursday.

'I have apologized for six years for anything I did wrong, questioning Sandy Hook,' Jones, 48, said during his tirade, ending up red-faced and out-of-breath at points.   

'I didn't question Sandy Hook to be mean, I wasn't the leader of question for Sandy Hook, but I did say things that were hurtful and not true, but I did not do it on purpose.'

Jones went on reiterate pervious assertions that he has already apologized for his comments, which he has said were products of journalism and not intentionally malicious - all while growing increasingly irate.

'I apologized four years ago on Joe Rogan – it's got over 100million views,' Jones told reporters. 'But the corporate media constantly says that, "Oh, for the first time, he apologizes,"' quoting what he likely perceived the general public's perception of his persecution, sarcastically putting the sentiment in air quotes.

'I apologized on Steven Crowder three years ago,' Jones went on, referring to a 2019 appearance on another right-wing web show.

'Six years ago,' he went on, 'I said, "I believe Sandy Hook happened." 

'When I became extremely famous during the Trump campaign, Hillary Clinton ran $30million of national ads saying I was Trump's "brain," Jones continued, repeating claims that he been targeted by the left for repeatedly speaking out against them.

'Look, I like President Trump overall,' Jones said, 'but I was not his brain.' He added of the former president: 'He doesn't listen to anybody but himself.'

The outspoken conspiracy theorist went on to downplay his influence among the political right, suggesting that his comments should not hold nearly as much weight as the media currently suggests. 

'Them Democrats believe that I run the Republican Party – I don't,' Jones said outside the court, as prosecutors called three relatives of victims slain in the shooting to testify against him.

'They believe that I'm, like, this Lex Luthor mastermind that controls everything – I don't,' Jones said, growing increasingly emotional. 'I basically don't even control my own life.'

The conservative talking head went on to tout the journalistic integrity of his longtime show InfoWars, while chalking up his false comments concerning the Sandy Hook as an oversight. He also claimed the remarks should be protected by the First Amendment. 

'I'm just simply here to say: I'm not the Sandy Hook man,' Jones said, raising his voice and growing increasingly animated. 

'I said I was sorry years and years ago, I've already tried to make restitution,;

Jones went on to claim that despite being declared guilty by Bellis back in 2021, his team did provide the court with evidence for discovery - a dubious assertion when considering the court's actions, and Jones' history with conspiracy theories.  

'We gave the court all of the discovery,' Jones exclaimed, appearing erratic at points. 'They defaulted us because they did not find any evidence of premeditated "master plans" with Sandy Hook and all this garbage,' he explained further.

'That's not true. I've taken responsibility for the mistakes I've made.'

He continued: We have about a 95 percent accuracy rate on so many other subjects, I do question a lot of things, I'm more careful these days.'

The InfoWars host went on to assert that 'as an American, I have a right to question something.'

He quickly added: 'Now, if that becomes hurtful to individuals and causes them pain, that certainly is a problem – and I have admitted to that.'

Jones closed his spiel by saying members of the media - as well as the political left - were using him as a scapegoat for the tragedy, echoing previous claims he has made in court and in public.

The claim comes with some contention, as Jones had previously accused the media of using the massacre as a means to repeal the Second Amendment, not the First. 

'So that's where we stand,' Jones said. 'They are using this case to go after the First Amendment. Sandy Hook was used against the Second Amendment – the right to bear arms – and now it is being used to go after the First Amendment, and that's terrible.'

Jones went on to equate his persecutors to 'a lynch mob,' whom he said has had him in their sights 'ever since Trump was elected.'

'They looked at everything I've done and decided Sandy Hook was one of the biggest mistakes I've made,' Jones said, before adding, 'Nobody's perfect.'

He continued: 'They blew up what I said and did, twisted it, and took it out of context, and then said that I'm famous and successful because of Sandy Hook.

'Now, I said somethings that weren't right, that were hurtful – and I'm sorry for that, and I apologize for the 500th time.

'But that said, these lawyers, have misrepresented everything I've said and did, and everything that I stand for. And that's why I'm here today and I appreciate you all coming out,' he finished, before taking some of the crowd's questions.

Jones was already found guilty in the case by the presiding Judge Barbara Bellis late last year, after the jurist dished out a default judgement when Jones's team reportedly refused present their evidence prior to going to trial.

Jones has since branded the judge - who is currently presiding over the proceedings - a 'tyrant,' and has accused her and the mass media of attempting to set him up as a straw man for the mass shooting, coaxing a guilty plea out of him.

Jones was set to testify to the plaintiffs' legal team Wednesday, but saw his testimony pushed back to Thursday morning. 

During proceedings Wednesday, jurors were shown how Jones's audience grew exponentially following his comments on the tragedy, which saw him garner national attention and saw his company revenues increase dramatically.

Prosecutors also showed Jones's

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