Alex Jones Replaces Lawyers As Depositions Loom in Sandy Hook
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March 6, 2019 Alex Jones Replaces Lawyers As Depositions Loom In Sandy Hook Cases The Infowars conspiracy theorist has replaced his lawyers with two controversial figures: Robert Barnes and Norman Pattis. By Sebastian Murdock Alex Jones, a conspiracy theorist who falsely claimed the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax, has replaced two of his lawyers in multiple lawsuits brought against him by parents of children killed in the Attorney 2012 school shooting. Norman The host of the right-wing Pattis, who will be conspiracy outlet Infowars is being sued by nearly a dozen Sandy Hook tasked with defending parents in four separate defamation cases for his repeated claims Jones in a lawsuit that the shooting in Newtown, Alex Jones continues to face Connecticut, that left 20 children brought by six Sandy consequences for his actions. and six adults dead was staged. He a history of conspiracy-mongering has previously tried and failed to Hook parents and an and social media posts that appear shut down the lawsuits and avoid to show a tenuous grasp of basic being deposed. FBI agent, says he decency. Jones’ latest legal maneuvers appear In a Monday court filing obtained to be a Hail Mary as he prepares “represents people who by HuffPost, Jones said he would to be deposed later this year by “shortly name Robert Barnes as lawyers representing families face powerful foes. lead counsel in this case” against who filed lawsuits in Texas and Sandy Hook parent Scarlett Lewis, Connecticut. Jones has hired two who is suing Jones for more than $1 new lawyers to represent him in million for the “intentional infliction separate Sandy Hook cases. Both of emotional distress.” lawyers, like Jones himself, have 1 Continued on next page Continued from previous page Barnes told HuffPost he is to mock a Native American man. And when Rep. Rashida Tlaib replacing Marc Randazza, who (D-Mich.) was elected to serve in was previously hired in July In a promotional video on his Congress, Pattis tweeted to her: “No of last year to represent Jones. website, Barnes sits next to a bottle suicide bombings?” The lawyer has Randazza, who is representing the of liquor as he compares himself to since deleted his Twitter account. co-founder of the neo-Nazi website the Swiss mercenaries of the Middle Daily Stormer, also violated legal Ages. The video is set to dramatic Mark Bankston of the Houston law ethics by soliciting bribes from music. firm Farrar & Ball represents Lewis, legal opponents, among other along with Sandy Hook parents indiscretions. Connecticut lawyer Norman Neil Heslin, Leonard Pozner and Pattis, meanwhile, was hired Veronique De La Rosa. Barnes has been a regular earlier this week by Jones to contributor to Infowars and was replace his original lawyer, Jay “It remains to be seen whether featured in an episode last month Wolman of Randazza’s law firm, the this sudden change in counsel is a titled “Lawyer Breaks Down The Connecticut Post reported. Pattis, desperate gambit or whether it’s a Real Sandy Hook Conspiracy & who will be tasked with defending sign that Mr. Jones is ready to take More.” In it, Jones refers to Barnes Jones in a lawsuit brought by six this lawsuit seriously,” Bankston as the “chief legal counsel for Sandy Hook parents and an FBI told HuffPost in a statement. Infowars.” In another video about agent, says he “represents people “But regardless of who ultimately the special counsel’s investigation who face powerful foes.” represents InfoWars, my clients into Russian influence in the 2016 remain focused on holding Mr. presidential election, Barnes “lays But, as the Connecticut Post points Jones accountable for his reckless out the history of Robert Mueller’s out, Pattis was also condemned by and disgusting conduct.” crimes and coverups for the Deep the NAACP earlier this year after State,” according to the video’s he posted a photo on his Facebook description. page depicting three beer cans in white hoods surrounding a brown Barnes has previously defended beer bottle hanging from its neck. Jones on Twitter, saying, “What [Jones] actually said in full about “Ku Klux Coors,” the caption read. Sandy Hook was he didn’t know He deleted the image, but defended what happened.” (That’s not true. the post by railing against the “P.C. Jones has repeatedly called the police” that “disgust me.” parents “crisis actors” and said In another Facebook post, Pattis that interviews with CNN were commented on a story about a video faked with green screens, among game that lets users play as a school other falsities). In another tweet, shooter. “Candidly, it looks sort of he quoted a story suggesting a fun,” he wrote. And in a New Year’s conspiracy in which Jones was Eve Twitter post last year, Pattis being set up by people with dark thanked comedian Louis C.K. for money funding the Sandy Hook his jokes mocking the survivors parents. of the Parkland, Florida, school Barnes also recently appeared on shooting. Fox News to offer his legal services “Much needed,” he tweeted. “Thank to the Covington Catholic teens who you Louis CK.” were captured on video appearing 2.