Alex Jones is backing out of testifying in his Sandy Hook defamation damages trial, his lawyer says

Alex Jones, right, is seen outside of Waterbury Superior Court in Connecticut. REUTERS/Mike Segar Alex Jones was scheduled to return to the stand in the Sandy Hook defamation damages trial on Wednesday.   But on Tuesday, Jones’ attorney said the shock jock decided not to testify and was flying back to Texas.

Earlier in the day, Jones complained that the judge wanted to put him in jail for telling “the truth. ” Alex Jones has decided not to testify in his own defense at the second Sandy Hook hoax trial, his lawyer said Tuesday.  The trial taking place in Waterbury, Connecticut, is the second of three trials stemming from Jones’ repeated claims that the mass school shooting was staged by the government as a pretext to restrict gun ownership.

The first trial wrapped up this summer with a Texas jury ordering Jones to pay the parents of one of the victims nearly $50 million. The third trial has yet to be scheduled.  In the Connecticut case that is ongoing, attorneys for the plaintiffs had called Jones to testify earlier in the trial, but Jones ended up snapping several times, going on tangents about “liberals,” and saying he was “done” apologizing to the parents.

He was set to return to the stand on Wednesday, once his attorney, Norm Pattis, began presenting Jones’ defense.  But in a sidebar between the judge and the attorneys at the end of the day Tuesday, Pattis said Jones had decided not to testify and was heading back to Texas. Pattis also added that he will not be presenting a defense, so the case should be with the jury soon.

Chris Mattei, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said the prosecution planned to rest its case early Wednesday.  Pattis made sure to hedge about whether Jones would testify on Wednesday.  “What if he calls me tonight and says I’ve changed my mind? What then?” Pattis asked.

 “Well then I guess we’ll be ready to go,” Mattei said.  “I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Pattis said, before trying to assure Mattei that “no games” were afoot. Earlier in the day, Jones held a press conference outside the courthouse and threatened to back out of testifying.

  Jones complained about being limited in terms of what he is allowed to say on the stand, according to Raw Story. Because he already lost the defamation case, he can’t talk about how he’s fighting that ruling — something he’s framed as a First Amendment issue.  In reality, he was found laible by default because he repeatedly refused to follow court orders to turn over certain company records during the discovery process, therefore losing the right to argue that his Sandy Hook  comments constitute constitutionally protected free speech.

 “I am strongly considering tomorrow when I get put on the stand looking at the judge and saying, ‘You’ve barred me from saying I’m innocent. This isn’t a real court, so I take the Fifth Amendment!'” Jones said, according to Raw Story. “Not because I’m guilty but because she says if I tell the truth, she’ll put me in the Waterbury jail for six months! That’s what she can do.

“”Top lawyers have looked at it and said, ‘No, she wants to put you [in jail] if you tell the truth,'” he added. “Well, I tell this judge and all the rest of the new world order, I am innocent! And you are guilty of tyranny!”Jones did not immediately return Insider’s request for comment on Tuesday. Read the original article on Insider.