Are you sure about that? The jury recommended punitive damages, but as I understand it, in Connecticut the judge decides the punitive damage amounts in a later trial phase. I think today's number includes no punitive damages.
> This case presented the greatest financial risk to Mr. Jones, because he was found liable of violating Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act, by using lies about the shooting to sell products on Infowars. There is no cap on punitive damages under that law.
> ...
> The next step will be for the judge to consider punitive damages, which would be in addition to Wednesday’s verdict.
> Defamation/slander damages, past and future: $60 million
That's not much of a breakdown, and if anything it seems to go against the idea that these dollar amounts aren't punitive. Are we supposed to assume that that particular plaintiff would have been $60 million richer if Jones hadn't had said what he said? Ridiculous.
The emotional distress damages are more subjective, of course, but I still don't see the amounts as any less punitive at this point.