Posted on 09/29/2006 9:14:45 AM PDT by steve-b
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Family members of three people slain by a 14-year-old on newsman Sam Donaldson's New Mexico ranch sued the makers of the video game "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" on Monday, claiming the crimes would not have occurred had the teenager never played the violent game.
The $600 million lawsuit names several companies and Cody Posey, who it alleges played the game "obsessively" for several months before he shot his father, stepmother and stepsister in July 2004....
The games and others in the "Grand Theft Auto" series depict police killings and other acts of violence. The lawsuit calls various editions of the game "virtual reality murder simulators."
"But for Posey's use of these products ... he would not have killed," the lawsuit claims.
The game trained him "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity," according to the suit.
According to the suit, plaintiffs' lawyer Jack Thompson was told by a sheriff's deputy that the game and a Sony PlayStation 2 were found at the ranch....
No the sound of millions of dollars pouring from the company!
I would not consider GTA3, Vice city, or GTA SA a FPS, since it is more of a rear view and does not have the feel of let's say F.E.A.R. or Half-life even if you put the camera in FPV.
...or "Jackass" episodes?
"Whatever became of Leisure Suit Larry?"
He came out with a college campus game a few years back. Speaking of which, i should play that one again now that I updated my video card. ;)
And the parents who were shot and killed never saw anything wrong with thier child pretending to shoot and kill people everyday 'obsessively'?
What is up with parental responsibility?
Well, Half-Life will make some decent alien killers and BF1942 might make some talented Nazi/Imperial Japanese Army killers.
>>>I've been jumping on mushrooms and grabbing at stars a lot lately.
Too much Mario?>>>
Yeah, I walk around saying 'ooga booga' all day and will soon be fired for my unprofessional outbursts. Maybe I should sue the makers of Crash Bandicoot.
>>>In short, FPS DO remove that hesitation. >>>
I'd say it took more than 1 second (the hesitation speed) to kill three people.
My condolences to the parents, but this kid was nuts because of physical brain deformity or outside mental pressure, and was not made crazy by a video game, although placing the blame for the horrible incident on a computer game rather than their own failure to notice the kids tendencies and get him counceling. If he was playing the game so much, that behavior should have been a trigger that they should at least explore any anger issues he might have had. The fact that he shot family and not random strangers (as you would in the game, incidentally) makes me think that there are more issues to this than just gaming.
Is the game violent, on the order of the horrible "Going Postal"? Yes. Would I allow the game in my house? For me, certainly not. Is it my job to be aware of what my teen is involved in, to the point of knowing if my kid is dangerous in any way? You bet!
Game over. Sad, but not the fault of the programmers, even if they should have higher values than to make such a game. I would be willing to wager that said perp had violent DVD's, enjoyed slasher movies, and other violent fare. The gaming was probably only part of the whole.
>>>The Devil made them do it. But then you can't sue the Devil.>>>
Well, you CAN, but it's hard to get a case in against the President of the United States. ;o)
Playing Counter-Strike certainly helped my paintball skills.
>>>Whatever became of Leisure Suit Larry?>>>
He got syphlis and decided to settle down with Bar Trash Annie.
"Call of Duty, Pacific Assault" for me. But I still want to jump off the jeep and warn everybody at Pearl Harbor that the bombers are coming!
You must vastly mis-understand the ACLU. They want the freedom to put pornogragy in front of our kids. It's Constitutionally-protected "free speech"! Now, talking against abortion or speaking about your own personal faith in Jesus Christ, there it's "dangerous hate-speech that must be stopped!" See the difference?
He's still wandering around the land of the lounge lizards.
"how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer..."
pointing a mouse or control pad to shooe makes you an effective killer?
What are these people smoking?
According to those who knew the kid, his parents were evil incarnate. They pretty much got what they had coming, though that does not make it right.
I dunno. I'm sure he has deep pockets...
Probably couldn't get a single plaintiff's attorney to take the case, though, out of professional courtesy.
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