- This week: Alex Jones on the stand, instructed to pay up
- Voters of shade are involved about violence, intimidation on the polls
- Choose refuses to maneuver Oath Keepers’ trial date
I cowl extremism at USA TODAY. The beat that may take me to darkish corners of the web, courtroom hearings for the Jan. 6 riot or avenue protests wherever in america.
Each week, we’re studying about new developments and revelations that paint a clearer image of the extremist teams, and mindsets, affecting life in America. And each week there are new snippets of extremist information that warrant consideration.
For subscribers:How a community of researchers is trying to find the following hate-fueled assault
This week, the world had its eyes on the high-profile authorized case in opposition to conspiracy-theory broadcaster Alex Jones. We’re additionally monitoring the trial of Oath Keeper Stewart Rhodes. And one extremism analysis group has new information on how these concepts may hinder obstacles.
Alex Jones trial
Alex Jones on the stand, instructed to pay up: The Infowars founder and conspiracy monk took the stand in a defamation trial in Austin, Texas, with typically explosive outcomes. Jones, who’s accused of defaming the household of a boy killed within the Sandy Hook Elementary Faculty bloodbath, was admonished a number of instances by the choose. “This isn’t your present,” she instructed him.
- On Thursday, Jones was ordered by the jury to pay greater than $4 million in compensatory damages, with seemingly hundreds of thousands extra to come back in punitive damages.
- the true bombshell got here on Wednesday when a lawyer instructed a visibly shocked Jones his legal professional had by accident despatched him “a whole digital copy of your total cellphone, with each textual content message you’ve got felt for the previous two years.” The Jan. 6 committee, which has already interviewed Jones, virtually instantly requested these messages.
- The takeaway: The guardian firm of Infowars declared chapter through the trial, however legal professionals offered proof the location was making $800,000 a day in 2018. The combat will quickly flip to how one can get Jones to pay up.
Intimidation on the poll field
Ballot: Voters of shade are involved about violence, intimidation on the polls: Virtually a 3rd of People worry a violent assault on Election Day or voter intimidation, and a minority of Black and Hispanic voters really feel protected at polling locations, in accordance with a new ballot revealed Thursday by the International Undertaking on Hate and Extremism.
-
The ballot confirmed simply 28% of Black voters and 37% of Hispanic voters really feel protected at polling or voting locations. Black and Hispanic respondents additionally expressed elevated considerations about extremist teams, terrorism and mass shootings. Learn the total research right here.
- A technique to consider this ballot: A lot has been written about how violent threats are affecting election staff. We have seen much less about how the thought of these threats might put a chill on voters themselves.
Oath Keepers founder on trial
Choose refuses to maneuver Oath Keepers’ trial date: Stewart Rhodes, founding father of the extremist militia group the Oath Keepers, together with 10 different Oath Keepers, faces 17 prison counts, together with a seditious conspiracy cost in relation to the Jan. 6 riot. The cost carries a most sentence of 20 years in jail.
- The trial for the case is because of begin subsequent month, however protection attorneys have sought to have the trial date pushed again. On Monday, US District Courtroom Choose Amit Mehta dominated the trial date is not going to be modified and can go forward as deliberate.
- Of be aware: Rhodes additionally has sought to have the trial moved out of Washington, DC The choose stated no to that, too.
Extra from USA TODAY
For subscribers:In Uvalde one month later, moments of silence, but a lot left to say
For subscribers:The nice white shark thriller in Southern California