Lawsuit: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Led Teen to Kill:
This one actually was in the news last week, but I forgot about until today. More on that later.
Anyway, our favorite ambulance chaser, not John Edwards, is at it again. “Attorney” Jack Thompson is once again blaming the woes of society on one particular series of video games. He’s filed a lawsuit in Alabama against the game’s manufacturers and two stores that allegedly sold the games to an underage person. The person in question is Devin Moore, who shot two police officers and a dispatcher to death after being brought to the Fayette police station on suspicion of driving a stolen car.
Of course, the video game series in question is the Grand Theft Auto series…
The suit alleges Moore purchased “Grand Theft Auto III” at the Gamestop in Jasper and “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City” at the Jasper Wal-Mart when he was under 17. The games, which depict police killings and other acts of violence, are rated M, meaning they are appropriate for those 17 or older.
Named in the suit are Wal-Mart Stores (search) and Gamestop along with Take-Two Interactive Software, the manufacturer of the games, and Sony Computer Entertainment, the maker of the PlayStation 2.
Why did Thompson file the suit this time?
At a December hearing, authorities said Devin Moore, when he was apprehended, told officers,”Life is a video game. You’ve got to die sometime.”
And check out Thompson’s great reasoning for filing the suit…
“What has happened in Alabama is that four companies participated in the training of Devin … to kill three men,” attorney Jack Thompson told The Tuscaloosa News, which reported the suit’s filing.
Granted that Walmart and GameStop should not have been selling these games to an underage kid, but why were the parents allowing it into the house?
My main point is though is that everyone is responsible for their own actions. This assclown Jack Thompson wants you to think that you’re not responsible for anything. These kids that kill who have happened to have played a violent video game are screwed up in the head in the first place. My guess is Jack Thompson is looking for an angle since he missed out on the McDonald’s hot coffee settlement. Either that or he’s just jealous he can’t beat any of the games. Seriously, what is this guy’s problem with video games?
What made me think of this again was this interview Jack Thompson did with CBSNews.com. I almost posted this under the Tin Foil Hat category because of some of the things he says.
He calls Entertainment Software Association President Doug Lowenstein, the Joseph Goebbels of the video game industry. He infers that the increase in school violence is caused by video games. Claims he predicted Columbine 8 days before it happened.
I’ll start you off with a quote from Mr. Thompson from the interview…
The heads of six major health care organizations testified before Congress that there are “hundreds” of studies that prove the link. All the video game industry has are studies paid for by them, which are geared to find the opposite result. Lawyers call such experts “whores.”
Pot, I have the kettle holding for you on line 2.
Read the interview to see what kind of nut job this shyster really is. If it were up to him, we’d blame everything from the war in Iraq to Paris Hilton’s Sidekick being hacked on Grand Theft Auto. This guy really needs to get a life.
UPDATE: The guys from Penny Arcade have their own take on sue happy attorneys.
Here’s another take on it from joystiq.com.
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