Alex Jones missed his deposition in the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuit

Alex Jones missed his deposition¹ in the Sandy Hook defamation² lawsuit³

　　Transcript⁴

　　Conspiracy⁵ theorist Alex Jones skipped a deposition in a defamation case brought by families of the victims of the Sandy Hook killings⁷. A judge ordered that he appear Thursday or face possible arrest.

　　STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

　　Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist, was supposed to answer questions under oath yesterday. He's being sued for his false claims. Here's the main false claim he made - he told a story that the mass killing⁶ of 20 students and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary was fake. Yesterday, he would have faced the facts, but Connecticut Public Radio's Frankie Graziano reports he didn't show.

　　FRANKIE GRAZIANO, BYLINE⁸: Jones hosts a show called "Infowars," and he spread conspiracy theories about the mass shooting. The families sued him four years ago. Their attorneys are trying to depose⁹ him. But Jones' attorneys have said he has a medical issue they won't disclose, and he won't go to a deposition until he's cleared by a doctor. But Chris Mattei, an attorney for the families, isn't buying it.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

　　CHRIS MATTEI: This, in our view, was a cowardly display intended to cheat the plaintiffs of their right to put him under oath and ask him questions.

　　GRAZIANO: Jones' lawyers didn't respond to requests for comment. If Jones doesn't show up again, Mattei wants the judge in the case to force his hand and have him arrested. Judge Barbara Bellis hasn't gone that far yet. She does say that unless he's got symptoms that require him to be hospitalized, he needs to show up. After all, Bellis found that Jones left his home to work on Tuesday, the same day that his attorneys were arguing that he had to remain home under doctor's orders.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

　　BARBARA BELLIS: This is very serious in the court's opinion.

　　GRAZIANO: Bellis says he can't refuse to participate in a deposition yet continue to choose to keep working. Mattei wants him to show up.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

　　MATTEI: It's ironic¹⁰ because Mr. Jones has been on his show repeatedly saying that, you know, these lawsuits¹¹ are an effort to silence him, to take him off the air. Well, this was his opportunity to speak.

　　GRAZIANO: But if he doesn't get to question Jones in a deposition, Mattei says he could use it against Jones in court. Jones has already lost a defamation case. What's still to be decided¹² is how much he'll have to pay in damages.

　　For NPR News, I'm Frankie Graziano in Glastonbury, Conn.

1 deposition   

n.免职，罢官；作证；沉淀；沉淀物

参考例句：

• It was this issue which led to the deposition of the king.正是这件事导致了国王被废黜。
• This leads to calcium deposition in the blood-vessels.这导致钙在血管中沉积。

2 defamation   

n.诽谤；中伤

参考例句：

• Character defamation can be either oral or written.人格诽谤既可以是口头的也可以是书面的。
• The company sued for defamation.这个公司因受到诽谤而提起诉讼。

3 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 depose   

vt.免职；宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The witness is going to depose.证人即将宣誓做证。
• The emperor attempted to depose the Pope.皇帝企图废黜教皇。

10 ironic   

adj.讽刺的，有讽刺意味的，出乎意料的

参考例句：

• That is a summary and ironic end.那是一个具有概括性和讽刺意味的结局。
• People used to call me Mr Popularity at high school,but they were being ironic.人们中学时常把我称作“万人迷先生”，但他们是在挖苦我。

11 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。