IN October 2022, far-right radio host Alex Jones was ordered to pay about $1.5 billion in punitive damages to the Sandy Hook victims because of certain statements he made.
Jones, a conspiracy theorist at risk of losing his fake news website, InfoWars, was previously married to Kelly Rebecca Nichols for eight years — here's all we know about her.
Who is Alex Jones' ex-wife, Kelly Rebecca Nichols?
Kelly Rebecca Nichols was an animal rights activist born July 2, 1968, in Travis County, Texas.
According to Just Richest, Nichols is the head of PETA's media operations and public relations department.
Nichols eventually met and married Jones in 2007 and had three children together.
Are there illegal baby names? Surprising monikers that are BANNED in other countries, from Sarah to Thomas
Nichols used her media and public relations expertise to promote Jones' website, InfoWars.
The couple divorced in 2015, and two years later, she sought sole or joint custody of their children due to her ex-husband's behavior.
She claimed "he's not a stable person" and is "concerned that he is engaged in felonious behavior, threatening a member of Congress."
Nichols spoke with Inside Edition, saying: "The cat is out of the bag and a lot of people are going to be interested in that information.
"Alex is truly mentally ill. To me, he should be protected from himself and others. He doesn’t have any moral compass. He lives in his own universe. He’s a very delusional man."
Nichols was awarded the right to decide where their children live, while Jones maintained visitation rights.
Following his divorce from Nichols, Jones married Erika Jones in 2017.
Why was Alex Jones ordered to pay punitive damages?
Alex Jones falsely called the shooting, which killed 20 children and six adults, a hoax orchestrated by the government to enact stricter gun laws.
As a result, he has been ordered to pay another $45 million in punitive damages by a Texas jury on August 5, 2022, to the parents of a first-grader killed in the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012.
In total, he has been ordered to pay $49.3 million, which is less than the $150 million originally sought by the parents, Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis.
All about Rachel Nickell who was murdered in front of her son Alex Hanscombe
The couple’s six-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was one of the victims killed in the deadliest classroom shooting in US history.
On August 4, 2022, Jones was also ordered to pay the family $4.1 million in compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages are intended to compensate the injured party for loss or injury. However, punitive damages are awarded to punish a wrongdoer.
Attorney Mark Bankston, who represented Heslin and Lewis, released a statement after the verdict was announced on August 4, 2022: "Today we secured $4.1 million on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis.
"Having already secured $1.5million in fines from Mr. Jones, the plaintiffs are now due $5.6million that Alex Jones will have to pay them."
He continued: "This does not include punitive damages to be decided tomorrow [August 5, 2022] and additional sanctions pending before the court.
"Neil and Scarlett are thrilled with the result and look forward to putting Mr. Jones' money to good use.' Mr. Jones on the other hand will not sleep easy tonight."
Ultimately, on October 12, 2022, a Connecticut court ordered Alex Jones to owe Sandy Hook victims over $1.5 billion in damages in total.
On June 14, 2024, a judge ruled that Jones could and should liquidate his assets to pay off the victims' families.
Jones has since claimed that InfoWars may soon be over if he's forced to sell or shut down the website and podcast.
“Today is a good day. Alex Jones has lost ownership of Infowars, the corrupt business he has used for years to attack the Connecticut families and so many others,” said Chris Mattei, an attorney for the families, as reported by CNN.
“The Court authorized us to move immediately to collect against all Infowars assets, and we intend to do exactly that.”
How can I watch The Truth vs. Alex Jones?
On March 26, 2024, HBO launched an original documentary called The Truth vs. Alex Jones.
According to the show's official synopsis, "The Truth vs. Alex Jones chronicles the riveting courtroom drama of two defamation lawsuits brought by the victims’ families against Alex Jones and their historic outcomes."
The network highlights four years of research surrounding the case in the documentary.
Viewers can watch the documentary via HBO's streaming service Max with an active subscription.
