Alex Jones breaches court order by failing to show for Sandy Hook deposition after judge rebuffed sick claims

Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has breached a court order by failing to show up for a deposition in a lawsuit over his false claims about the Sandy Hook massacre, after a judge rebuffed claims that he was too sick to appear.

The Infowars host was scheduled to appear in person at 9am local time in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday to be questioned under oath as part of settlement proceedings in defamation cases he lost against the families of victims killed in the 2012 mass shooting.

But, Mr Jones was a no-show, instead sending along one of his attorneys Norm Pattis, who delivered the news that his client would not be making an appearance.

Connecticut Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis has now ordered Mr Jones to appear for the deposition on Thursday, saying that “he has not submitted additional evidence for the court to evaluate on the issue of his alleged medical conditions”.

The victims’ families have also filed an emergency motion asking the court to arrest the right-wing extremist for civil contempt and bring him to the court to testify if he fails to show up once again.

Kevin Smith, an attorney for the Infowars host, filed a motion on Monday including a seven-sentence letter from an unnamed physician who cited unnamed “medical conditions” that mean Mr Jones “is remaining at home”.

In a court hearing on Tuesday, Judge Bellis turned down the claim and ordered that the deposition go ahead as planned.

The judge suggested that Mr Jones’ legal team “unknowingly misled” the court with its attempts to postpone it over his mystery illness pointing out that, at the very same time that his attorney was arguing he was sick and being seen by a doctor in the hearing, Mr Jones was hosting his Infowars show.

She questioned whether the show was being broadcast from Mr Jones’ home or from his studio – thereby proving if he was or wasn’t staying home.

Judge Bellis also raised doubts about the authenticity of the physician’s letter saying she has “no idea” if it is “genuine” or if the doctor is “currently licensed”.

“It appears to the court unreasonable to suggest that Jones can broadcast live for hours, whether it’s from home, remotely, or from a studio but he cannot sit for a deposition,” she told the court in her ruling.