美国国家公共电台 NPR--A jury decides Alex Jones owes nearly $1 billion for Sandy Hook lies

A jury decides Alex Jones owes nearly $1 billion for Sandy Hook lies

Transcript¹

Right-wing conspiracy² theorist Alex Jones was ordered by a Connecticut jury Wednesday to pay nearly 1 billion dollars to the relatives of eight Sandy Hook victims and a former FBI agent.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

"Infowars" host and right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay nearly a billion dollars to the relatives of eight Sandy Hook victims and a former FBI agent. That's a decision a Connecticut jury reached Wednesday after three weeks of testimony³. Families who lost loved ones during the 2012 school shooting filled the gallery each day and took turns recounting how Jones's lies about the mass shooting compounded their grief.

In August, a Texas jury ordered Jones to pay more than 45 million in damages for calling the attack that killed 21st graders and six staffers a hoax⁴. He also faces a third trial again in Texas. As Connecticut Public Radio's Frankie Graziano reports, it's the price for a decade of lies.

FRANKIE GRAZIANO, BYLINE⁵: Jurors heard many times during the trial a clip of Alex Jones claiming the tragedy was a government-sponsored hoax. He said it the same day 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook. Claims like that resulted in harassment⁶ of victims' relatives. Erica Lafferty says letters were sent to her house.

ERICA LAFFERTY: There were threats of rape⁷.

GRAZIANO: Lafferty wishes she could share the news that Jones is now liable for at least $965 million with her mother, who was the principal of the Sandy Hook school. She was killed that day. Lafferty does say it's not over. She still worries.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LAFFERTY: I wish that after today, I could just be a daughter grieving my mother and stop worrying about conspiracy theories sending me threats or worse. But I know that this is not the end of Alex Jones in my life.

GRAZIANO: She did stand up to Jones, so did Robbie Parker. His daughter Emilie was 6 years old when she was killed. For years, Jones mocked Parker for laughing, then crying in a statement Parker made just a day after the shooting. Parker was called a crisis actor by conspiracy theorists. He was nearly silent for years. Finally, with the help of his lawyers, he fought back.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ROBBIE PARKER: I let my voice be taken away from me and my power be taken away from me at the expense of my daughter and at the expense of my family.

GRAZIANO: Jones was sued by the Connecticut plaintiffs for defamation⁸ in 2018. He'd already been found liable by the time the trial started, so it was held to determine how much he owed the families in damages. And when it got underway, the plaintiff said the goal was to stop Jones. At the end of it, plaintiff's attorney Josh Koskoff was asked if the result was ruinous for the "Infowars" host.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOSH KOSKOFF: If this verdict shuts down Alex Jones, good.

GRAZIANO: In addition to the $965 million, the jury ordered Jones to pay the plaintiff's attorney fees and expenses. And the judge can still lay down additional punitive⁹ damages. There's two other Sandy Hook lawsuits¹⁰ in another state that will incur¹¹ more penalties for Jones. He hasn't disclosed how much money he has. It's unclear exactly how much he can pay. Chris Mattei, the attorney for the families, says they won't relent.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CHRIS MATTEI: We are going to go to whatever form we have to, whether it's in Texas or in bankruptcy¹² court or right here. We are going to enforce this verdict as long as it takes.

GRAZIANO: As long as it takes, because that's, he says, what justice requires. For NPR News, I'm Frankie Graziano in Glastonbury, Conn.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

3 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

4 hoax   

v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧

参考例句：

• They were the victims of a cruel hoax.他们是一个残忍恶作剧的受害者。
• They hoax him out of his money.他们骗去他的钱。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

7 rape   

n.抢夺，掠夺，强奸；vt.掠夺，抢夺，强奸

参考例句：

• The rape of the countryside had a profound ravage on them.对乡村的掠夺给他们造成严重创伤。
• He was brought to court and charged with rape.他被带到法庭并被指控犯有强奸罪。

8 defamation   

n.诽谤；中伤

参考例句：

• Character defamation can be either oral or written.人格诽谤既可以是口头的也可以是书面的。
• The company sued for defamation.这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

9 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

10 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

11 incur   

vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇

参考例句：

• Any costs that you incur will be reimbursed in full.你的所有花费都将全额付还。
• An enterprise has to incur certain costs and expenses in order to stay in business.一个企业为了维持营业,就不得不承担一定的费用和开支。

12 bankruptcy   

n.破产；无偿付能力

参考例句：

• You will have to pull in if you want to escape bankruptcy.如果你想避免破产，就必须节省开支。
• His firm is just on thin ice of bankruptcy.他的商号正面临破产的危险。