Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 5, 2018. A Texas judge on Wednesday pushed back a trial over how much Jones should pay the families of Sandy Hook victims.

Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 5, 2018. A Texas judge on Wednesday pushed back a trial over how much Jones should pay the families of Sandy Hook victims. / AP

AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas judge on Wednesday pushed back the first jury trial over how much conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay the families of Sandy Hook victims after his Infowars company sought bankruptcy protection this week.

The delay ordered by state District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble comes days after Infowars and two other companies tied to Jones filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Texas.

Jones has lost defamation lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut over his comments that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre was a hoax. The first trial over how much he should pay the families had been scheduled to begin Monday in Austin, where Infowars is headquartered.

A new trial date has not been set. A judge in Connecticut also paused all proceedings surrounding defamation lawsuits against Jones in that state after the bankruptcy filing.

Attorneys for Sandy Hook families have accused Jones of trying to hide millions of dollars in assets. Creditors listed in Infowars' bankruptcy filing include relatives of some of the 20 children and six educators killed in the 2012 school massacre in Connecticut.

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