Lawsuit: 'Grand Theft Auto' Led Teen to Kill

[Dubious Dan]

Guess if I ever do anything stupid I'll have to blame someone or something else cuz ya know personal responsability doesn't exist.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,147722,00.html

Lawsuit: 'Grand Theft Auto' Led Teen to Kill
Tuesday, February 15, 2005

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.  — A lawsuit claims the video game "Grand Theft Auto" led a teenager to shoot two police officers and a dispatcher to death in 2003, mirroring violent acts depicted in the popular game.

The suit announced Tuesday seeks damages from the game's manufacturers and two stores that allegedly sold it to Devin Thompson , now 18.

An attorney for relatives of two of the victims said Thompson, who is charged with murder, had played the video game repeatedly.

Thompson is accused of killing the three men in June 2003 after being brought to the Fayette police station on suspicion of driving a stolen car. Thompson allegedly grabbed one of the officer's guns, shot him and the other two, then fled in a patrol car.

The suit alleges Thompson 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.

"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.

Named in the suit are Wal-Mart Stores  and Gamestop along with Take-Two Interactive Software, the manufacturer of the games, and Sony Computer Entertainment, the maker of the PlayStation 2.

Messages left for officials of three of the companies were not immediately returned. There was no answer at the listing for Gamestop in Grapevine, Texas.

At a December hearing, authorities said Devin Thompson, when he was apprehended, told officers, "Life is a video game. You've got to die sometime."

[BamBams]

Maybe his PARENTS should not have allowed him to play it?  I think he should sue them also.  What about the delivery company that sent it to the stores.  He can probably get some change out of them also.  Oh heck, and the there is the cashier who made the sale.  She should get sued.  Her mother should get sued also because if she hadn't been born.......

[williamlayton]

THIS IS NOT A DEFENSE.
Folks we are, WE ALL ARE, responsible for what children learn.
Teaching sex with pornography is not a good thing, teaching driving skills with vedios of crash-up derby is not good, etc to adnausium.
WE, as a people, are letting children raise themselves and the products we provide to entertain them so we do not have to interact with them is what is raising them.
Blessings

[MGMorden]

THIS IS NOT A DEFENSE.

It's not being presented as one.  This lawyer represents the family of the victims, not the perp.  It's not about justice: it's about money.  Same as with the lawsuits against gun manufacturers.  It's easy to try and blame a product for the misdeeds of individual . . . especially when the people involved with the sale or manufacture of the product are large companies.

The bottom line is that GTA is rated M.  It is not made for minors nor is it marketed to them (all GTA adverts are ran in magazine's whose readerships are mostly older people).  The average age for a video game player in this country is 29 years old.  Parents have to realize that just as with any other entertainment medium there are video games not suitable for younger players, and they should keep an eye on what their kids play.

Of course this guy was obviously disturbed in the first place, and a simple video game didn't cause these actions.  The issues here are rooted much deeper.  Either way, HE is the one responsible for his actions, not any of the named companies.