It would appear as if anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson has gone from grasping at straws to make a case against gamers, to now being the ringleader of an outright witch-hunt. This time he’s urged Louisiana police to search for video games as evidence in a slaying case involving two teenagers. The murder allegedly involved the two teens beating a man and then shooting him in the face.
Thompson’s stated reasoning for looking for games to connect to the case: “Nobody shoots anybody in the face unless you’re a hit man or a video gamer.”
From Arstechnica:
Thompson has earned notoriety by making outspoken and often ridiculous claims about the relation of video games and violence, and he extended his streak in this matter by making shockingly broad inferences based on the public reports of the case.
Those reports indicated that the prime suspect, Kurt Edward Neher, murdered his victim because the victim would not allow Neher to borrow his car. In Thompson's words, this is "the same scenario in 'Grand Theft Auto," presumably referring to the fact that the game features, well, grand theft auto and gratuitous violence.
Police, it seems, don’t quite see the connection. Go figure!
West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Captain Spence Dilworth said that while they did uncover several M-rated games, he believes that the role of video games in this killing are "more of a debate for the living room rather than the courtroom."
Dilworth did not reveal if Grand Theft Auto was among the games seized.
Thompson has spent years on an anti-video game campaign that has involved several failed high-profile lawsuits. Grand Theft Auto is the root of all evil, according to Thompson.
Thompson, it appears, passed the bar, but failed history. Violence, murder, rape, and general animalistic behavior from humans has existed about as long as humans have. Vile people were around long before video games and they’ll likely remain long after games go by the wayside for some other form of entertainment years from now.
Article comments
1 - Marduke
Well... lemme see..
What was the last 2 witch hunts...
Anyone?
Anywho, its
Rock and Roll Music and Role Playing Games from the 1980s.
Guess what, they still exist!
And loved by millions of people. :D
-Marduke