Heslin told the jury about holding his son with a bullet hole through his head, even describing the extent of the damage to his son's body. The awards ranged from $28 million to $120 million. "Nurturing" means loving, kindness and gratitude; "Healing" means forgiveness; and "Love" means compassion-in-action. This past year I took itdown. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Lawyers for the parents of two children killed in their Sandy Hook Elementary School classrooms are asking a judge for access to state police evidence to determine whether a substitute teacher . Plaintiff's attorneys were furious about Jones mentioning he is bankrupt, which they worry will taint a jury decision about damages. Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News. Sandy Hook school shooting: Jesse Lewis, 6, was killed after telling While he tries go through the motions for the holidays, one thing Heslin will not be doing this year is putting up a Christmas tree. The Associated Press contributed to this report. I am a mother, first and foremost, and I know you're a father. Heslin said he didn't know if the Sandy Hook hoax conspiracy theory originated with Jones, but it was Jones who "lit the match and started the fire" with an online platform and broadcast that reached millions worldwide. "I never intentionally tried to hurt you. The little boy who just wanted someone to hear his moms call for help is grown up, Lewis said in the video. Jones has been found to have defamed the parents of a Sandy Hook student for calling the attack a hoax. Lewis took the witness stand in the defamation trial against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media company for his repeated claims that the Sandy Hook massacre was "staged." Lewis and Jesses father, Neil Heslin, are among several Sandy Hook families that have filed lawsuits against Jones arguing that his statements that the attack was a hoax have led to years of abuse from his followers. A therapist referred her to a college professor who told her hed do some research. Jesse had done what every 6-year-old is taught to do: He spelled out "Nurturing Healing Love" as it sounds. He'll be challenging Republican state Sen. Tony . Please enter valid email address to continue. JT Lewis, left, the brother of Sandy Hook victim Jesse Lewis, speaks to President Donald Trump during a roundtable on school safety at the White House on Dec. 18, 2018. "They shared, and I told them: You know what? I believe that inside every one of us is that same innate courage and to honor Jesse, Ive decided to be courageous enough to run for state Senate in my home state, Lewis said after describing his brother's last moments. / CBS News. An apology from Jones wouldn't be good enough, the parents said. "It seems so incredible to me that we have to do this that we have to implore you, to punish you to get you to stop lying," Lewis said. "It's a long hard road once you get a judgment to collect when it's someone like Alex Jones," Taubes said after the verdict was announced. Contributed Photo Show More Show . Jesse was a gift.'. Heslin and Lewis both said they fear for their lives and have been confronted by strangers at home and on the street. Sandy Hook families awarded $965M from Alex Jones in CT trial Scarlett Lewis says she thinks about her son Jesse's bravery every morning when she gets out of bed. To restore the honor and legacy of my son," Heslin said when Jones wasn't there. Photo by Briana Sanchez/Pool via . Jones had around 900,000 followers on Twitter and InfoWars had about 430,000 when those were removed, also in 2018. ", My goal is to hold Alex Jones accountable," he added, "and to be able to walk out of this courthouse very soon with this all behind me and move on with my life.". This program, aligned with Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, Common Core, and American School Counselor Association standards and fully incorporating state-of-the-art Character Social Emotional Development Model Standards from Character.org, also includes neuroscience and positive psychology to teach mindfulness, character, and emotional intelligence. He shouted to his classmates, who were huddled in the corner, holding hands. Gottheimer Commemorates Lives Lost Seven Years Ago in Sandy Hook Profile", "Little hero of Sandy Hook saved his pals", "Sandy Hook Student Killed After Telling Classmates to Run: Mom", https://www.policinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/csp_aar.pdf, "Meet the Mom Behind the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement! ', She told People magazine last December: 'With Jesse, I have absolutely no regrets. This week. Susan Bysiewicz's echoed his remarks. Ten years ago, on Dec. 14, 2012, twenty 6- and 7-year-olds and six staff members were shot to death inside Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Heslin said his home and car have been shot at. Pregnant Rihanna looks like a bride in elaborate white dress as she FINALLY Anne Hathaway brings back the Versace safety pin dress at the Met Gala three decades after Liz Hurley Bill's in Vogue! Those trials did not proceed because he failed to respond to court orders and turn over documents. The Army set came with a plastic camouflage helmet Jesse wore all day and even to bed. I have realized how incredibly powerful we are, she says. My friend gave him a little Army set of plastic figurines, and he played with them all the time.". Jones is facing several lawsuits from Sandy Hook families who allege that his claims led to years of abuse. This jury sent a message to Alex Jones that his disgusting and reprehensible behavior will not be tolerated.. Jesse Lewis always looked forward to the holidays, his dad says, no matter the occasion. Jessica Hill/AP Photo/Jessica Hill Show More Show Less 20 of 38 Jesse Lewis, a victim in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn. Dec. 14, 2012. A Sandy Hook Mother Confronts Alex Jones During Defamation Trial - The With her every breath, she works to spread compassion even for his murderer. The decision to sue Jones, Lewis says, was a direct result of her son's parting message to her three words Jesse had written on their kitchen chalkboard that she found shortly after he died. He has already been found liable for defamation by courts in Texas and Connecticut for how he portrayed the mass shooting as a hoax. Her older son, J.T. Easter or Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, he just loved the holidays, one as much as the other, says Neil Heslin of his son. They won their cases last year when two judges issued default rulings because Jones failed to follow court orders and submit evidence and responses on time. "I don't think I'd be able to let him go.". Lewis testified that she received death threats and that her family and friends have also been harassed by Jones followers. Shortly after the shooting, J.T. [16] Choose Love for Schools Program is now the most taught program in some states. Courts in Texas and Connecticut have already found Jones liable for defamation for his portrayal of the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax involving actors aimed at increasing gun control. With his last breath, Scarlett Lewis's son saved lives at Sandy Hook. August 3, 2022 / 8:32 AM Sandy Hook shooting victims remembered | CNN Scarlett Lewis / Contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 15 J.T. ", She added the verdict sends a message that "truth matters. Jones has portrayed the lawsuit against him as an attack on his First Amendment rights. After which, the harassment only got worse, Heslin said. Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was killed at Sandy Hook, took the witness stand Tuesday on the final day of testimony in the two-week defamation damages trial against Jones and his media company Free Speech Systems. Only one child survived in the classroom next door, Mother says she is not surprised her son's last act was to save his friends. ", As she addressed him, Jones shook his head, to which she responded, "I know you believe me and yet you're going to leave this court house and you're going to say it again on your show. Speaking briefly to the media, defense attorney Norm Pattis said the verdict was more than he expected and he looked forward to the appeal. "What we got out of it meant more than anything anyone can ever give us.". Mattei said his team will track Jones' finances to make sure there are no fraudulent transfers of assets. "I've come to know these people over almost 10 years," he said. Surviving students from her class say they didn't hear any gunshots until he started shooting there. Sandy Hook Siblings, 10 Years Later, Reflect On Love and Loss - Today Following the announcement of the verdict they hugged and some cried. "I still find little Army men coming up from the dirt from different places where he would play with them. This is a carousel. "I know his hate, lies, and conspiracy theories will follow me and my family through the rest of our days. It's better to have a little sugar than any sweetener at all, says Gut Health Guru Dr Megan Rossi. Above: Gottheimer stands with the Brady Campaign, Moms Demand Action, and North Jersey leaders to remember the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy which took place seven years ago this week. Sitting at the witness stand and looking Jones straight in the eyes, Lewis said, "I wanted to tell you to your face. "These families lost their children and their loved ones in a horrific tragedy that our state, our country and our world will never forget. Jesse was a lovebug, Lewis says, but its not like that phrase was part of a 6-year-old's everyday vocabulary. The Connecticut election will take place next November. Scarlett Lewis remembers her son Jesse, murdered at age 6, as always happy, loud and full of energy. "This is not your show," Judge Maya Guerra Gamble told Jones. These programs work. Jesse's actions saved nine of his classmate's lives. Since Sandy Hook, the record for the worst mass shooting in U.S. history has been surpassed several times over. It has been five years since Jesse, 6, was slaughtered with 25 others including 19 other children in a gunmans rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. "They were really missing Jesse and suffering. Scarlett Lewis' 6-year-old son Jesse was among the 20 children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. Jesse Lewis, 6 Jesse Lewis had been looking forward to . My son existed," Lewis said to Jones. Jesse Lewis (2006-2012), victim in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting; Jesse Lewis, Japanese idol, Member of boy band SixTONES; See also. During often tearful and halting testimony in Waterbury, Sandy Hook parents described losing a child and then being confronted online and in-person by Jones' followers who believed that the shooting never happened and that their loved one either never existed or was alive. **This video touches on the Sandy Hook tragedy and Jesse's death. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. [14], Three days after Jesse's murder, Scarlett returned to the family's farmhouse and found a message on their kitchen chalkboard that Jesse had written shortly before he died: "Norurting Helinn Love" (Nurturing Healing Love). got involved in outreach as well. The Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in the United States that provides free Character Social Emotional Development (CSED) programs. YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have all removed InfoWars and Jones from their platforms. I asked them to each share their favorite thing about Jesse. "Every day we got on stand in the courtroom and told the truth," said father Robbie Parker, who was awarded the most $120 million. Fighting back tears and finally given the chance to confront conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, the parents of a 6-year-old killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting described being put through a "living hell" of death threats, harassment and ongoing trauma over the last decade caused by Jones using his media platforms to push claims that it was all a hoax. Sandy Hook families have separately sued Jones over his financial claims, arguing that the company is trying to protect millions owned by Jones and his family through shell entities. Lewis brother Jesse, who was a first-grader when he was killed, has been credited with saving others after he shouted for his classmates to run while the gunman paused to reload, Jesse was shot moments later. This trial began last week and is being held in Austin, where Jones Infowars website and its parent company are based. She created the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, in memory of her son. What happened to the Taste NY bathrooms on the Taconic? Schools get better.". The ripple effect is enormous because of the platform that you have. NEVER.. Heslin and Lewis are among several Sandy Hook families who have filed several lawsuits alleging that Sandy Hook hoax claims pushed by Jones have led to years of abuse by Jones and his followers. Two Sandy Hook Families File Lawsuit Against Alex Jones, Infowars She could have asked someone else to do it, but she wanted to pick them out herself because it was a frigid December. JT Lewis - Wikipedia "But lets be clear there is a whole ecosystem of hate and conspiracy and Jones is just one organism of many. My name is Scarlett Lewis, and I'm the founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement. [15], In 2014, the Movement launched its Choose Love for Schools Program, a no-cost program for Pre-K through Grade 12 that provides lessons that delve into the Choose Love Formula to help educators and students create a safer, more connected school culture. She said she would tell her mother about the "horror" of watching Jones hold press conferences outside, but she would also tell her about the "bright spots" like the jury that "bravely bore witness to our pain" and the attorneys who have been her "shining lights" through the trial. "Alex started this fight," Heslin said, "and I'll finish this fight.". I would give everything I have for even one split second with him alive, Lewis says, but thats not going to happen.. ', The foundation was inspired by a message that Jesse had left on their kitchen chalkboard with the words 'nurturing,' 'healing' and 'love. "I'd tell him: 'You can't wear that to school.'". Each of the 15 plaintiffs in the case should then get that amount, the attorneys said. I dont think you understand the fear you perpetuate, not just to the victims family but to our family, our friends and any survivor from that school.. Mother of Sandy Hook victim discusses campaign to teach kindness, How one Sandy Hook mom discovered the power of forgiveness, the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement and its free SEL program, click here. "That perked them up a bit, and one had a twinkle in his eye," she adds. Neil Heslin. I knew immediately, if Adam Lanza had felt nurturing, healing love, this would not have happened, Lewis says. Jesse's older brother, J.T., avoids the spotlight, but their mother Scarlett says J.T. on the path to forgiveness. When you come back to testify tomorrow, one more time, no asides, the judge said. When she's not working she can be found hanging out with her animal companions Spot and Morgan and her six grandchildren. In a separate trial, Jones was ordered to pay nearly $1 billion to Sandy Hook families and an FBI first responder. Sandy Hook shooting: Scarlett Lewis's road to healing - Today ", Lewis has traveled the world spreading Jesse's message with her Choose Love Movement, her book, "Nurturing Healing Love" and her additional mental health and school safety work. Another encounter after Jesses death put Lewis and her older son J.T.
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