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Jack Thompson's first day in court

GhaleonEB

Member
Before Florida attorney Jack Thompson's can argue that companies that made or sold Grand Theft Auto III are responsible for a June 2003 triple murder, Thompson first has to convince a circuit court judge that he should be allowed to practice law in Alabama.

Thompson is representing the families of two police officers and a dispatcher killed by then-18-year-old Devin Moore in a suit against Sony, Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games, Wal-Mart, and GameStop. But according to a report in The Tuscaloosa News (registration required), the defendants have turned the tables with a motion to have Thompson dismissed from the case, as well as have his privilege to practice law in Alabama revoked for violations of legal ethics.

The motion was based on Thompson's many press releases and their frequent attacks on the law firm that represents some of his favorite targets (and one with ties to some of this case's defandants)Z: Blank Rome. A lawyer with Blank Rome said Thompson was incapable of proceeding with civility and said he would "turn the courtroom into a circus."

To which Thompson responded, "I didn't start this food fight. They started it and I have a right to respond because, believe it or not, I have a life outside of this case."

Sounds like a good start. I thought that press release would haunt him in the trial.

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/grandtheftauto3/news_6139206.html
 
this will be awesome if he gets disbarred in Florida, then it will be next to impossible for any state to allow him to practice.
 
The guy is clearly a hack. His e-mails to Penny Arcade smacked of some bullshit a 14 year old would write trying to scare someone into doing what they want...

what makes this even worse is the fact that Wallmart, Sony and Gamestop are being brought into this too. Its a shit case, but if you are going to make it go after Take Two, they made the fucking game.. I fucking hate Wallmart and actively suggest people steal from them, but in this case what the fuck did they do? Dare to stock a product? If you are going to go after them for that then why not go after every retailer in the country that sells video games? Why not go after Microsoft and Nintendo too? They have GTA games on their systems.
 
To which Thompson responded, "I didn't start this food fight. They started it and I have a right to respond because, believe it or not, I have a life outside of this case."
WTF? Somebody calls him out and his response is "Yeah? Well at least I'm not a LOSER!" :lol
 
"That guy that did the shooting in this case was sentenced to death. His defense attorney argued that GTA made him do it."
well, it is a shitty targetting system despite the coolness of the game, hell i'd kill someone if i had to use it over and over again...

what? i'm missing the point? oh...

here is an intersting one...
if i hear voices in my head from God, telling me to murder a load of people, if i do it - can the victims sue the catholic church? i mean... why not?

well, i tell you why - because people would say "No, you were mentally unbalanced - god didn't tell you to kill! you just imagined it".... but a video game ... that would be different? (?)
 
Gek54 said:
I dont believe.

He does have a life outside that case. Sending off dumbass e-mail replies and screaming at people with belittling nonsense over the phone is not directly related to this case at all.

So in that sense, he has a life apart from it.

Is it a life worth living?

No.
 
From the Tuscaloosa News:

But Judge Moore questioned some of the statements documented in press releases.

“I’m not pretending I’m not a nice guy," Thompson told the judge. “I’m not pretending I don’t have a temper."

Judge Moore placed a gag order on lawyers involved in the lawsuit until Moore’s criminal trial was complete. He lifted the gag order after the trial and Thompson has issued a steady stream of press releases and letters since. Moore pointed to a thick bound volume of press releases and letters that Smith presented as evidence.

“Why did you do this?" Moore asked Thompson.

“You said after the criminal trial to 'have at it.’" Thompson responded.

“Your 'have at it’ and my 'have at it’ are not the same," Moore said pointing to the stack of papers.

:lol
 
"A lawyer with Blank Rome said Thompson was incapable of proceeding with civility and said he would "turn the courtroom into a circus."

:lol
 
Looks like his fifteen minutes are up. Now we just play the waiting game for the Florida Bar Association to disbar him. :)

Next stop Jack, door greeter at Wal-Mart.
 
DCharlie said:
here is an intersting one...
if i hear voices in my head from God, telling me to murder a load of people, if i do it - can the victims sue the catholic church? i mean... why not?

well, i tell you why - because people would say "No, you were mentally unbalanced - god didn't tell you to kill! you just imagined it".... but a video game ... that would be different? (?)

people already do this... its called jihad. But yeah, I see your point, noone really thinks of these people as mentaly stable.

really the whole problem is slimly lawyers. One of them gets the stupid idea to use a videogame as a scapegoat to get his fucked up client off, then another thinks he can make a few bucks sueing the poeple that make the game.

FUCK YOU LAWYERS.
 
It would be the sweetest irony of all if a decade of not playing games tipped the batshit old giffer over the edge, and made him go on a rampage.
 
Does all types of media/human expression have to go through this type of hazing? I mean if you look to through history you will see the same thing over and over again. "The cave painting/stonetablet/parchement/book/tv/ made me do it?"
 
Curtains are called for ol' Jack Thompson.
Jack Thompson has finally gone and done it. While representing the families of a few law officials who were murdered by Devin Moore - aged 18 - in 2003, Thompson's own online actions were called into serious question by the defense.


"He can't proceed with the civility the rules require. All lawyers have to conduct themselves with honesty, integrity and civility. This isn't a street fight," said Blank Rome's Jim Smith.

In traditional Jack Thompson fashion, he defends himself with a 'they started it' comment to the Judge, who is clearly not willing to indulge his antics.


Judge Moore has taken the motion to revoke Thompson's license under advisement, and is also considering a motion to have the entire suit dismissed on the grounds that the First Amendment applies to videogames. The defendants' laywers also claim that Devin Moore's actions could not have been foreseen.

So, yes. I'd like to think that this nonsense will completely destroy Jack's career and leave him rambling on internet forums and via emails for the rest of his life, but the chances are that he'll find some way to worm himself back into the limelight.
Is this real? I got it from this dump > http://forum.gamesradar.com/viewtopic.php?t=79781

nelson0kz.gif
 
Ulairi said:
If he loses this case, his crusade is over
Not by a long shot.

Jack Thompson's crusade will only end when
a) literally everyone stops paying attention to him and he is never on a TV or radio show again or
b) he finds a new social evil to prey upon or
c) he dies

Guess which will come first.
 
the thing Amir0x posted said:
But Judge Moore questioned some of the statements documented in press releases.

“I’m not pretending I’m not a nice guy," Thompson told the judge. “I’m not pretending I don’t have a temper."

Just wanted to point out that he fails at english as well as at law.
 
I live in Alabama and I would love to see this trial in person, or if it's not open to the public, at least show up at the courthouse wearing my "I Hate Jack Thompson" shirt.

Does anyone have any details/timetable/if it is open to the public?
 
OK, so lets say this gets it's day in court. Jack thinks he can stand up to real lawyers from the likes of Sony and Walmart? He'll get destroyed.
 
After speaking to a reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, it appears that the latest news is that Jack Thompson has withdrawn from the case. I will provide more details if I can get them.

EDIT: He voluntarily withdrew from the case on Friday, probably to pre-empt a move by the judge.

Information obtained from Robert DeWitt - a reporter for the Tuscaloosa News
 
mmlemay said:
After speaking to a reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, it appears that the latest news is that Jack Thompson has withdrawn from the case. I will provide more details if I can get them.


VICTORY!
 
mmlemay said:
After speaking to a reporter for the Tuscaloosa News, it appears that the latest news is that Jack Thompson has withdrawn from the case. I will provide more details if I can get them.

EDIT: He voluntarily withdrew from the case on Friday, probably to pre-empt a move by the judge.

Information obtained from Robert DeWitt - a reporter for the Tuscaloosa News

That's actually kind of unfortunate as I was hoping he would be disbarred. Does him withdrawing from the case nullify the motion to have his licence revoked?
 
TheOMan said:
That's actually kind of unfortunate as I was hoping he would be disbarred. Does him withdrawing from the case nullify the motion to have his licence revoked?

I don't think he would have actually been disbarred. He was granted a license to practice law by the Florida bar, and most states allow you to practice law in their own state if you have a license in another state. Since this case was being held in Alabama, the effect of the ruling would have been that Thompson would then lose his right to practice law only in the state of Alabama - I don't think the judge could've have revoked his Florida bar license from him.
 
polg said:
you would throw a... um... burning Collin McRae tire at him? :P

Hell no, any violence at all would only help his case. Whats that COD2 quote?, something like, "Dont interupt your enemy when its making a mistake." He is sinking his own ships.
 
I eagerly await JT's press release on the subject of his departure from the case. As I recall, the one he issued the day before the case concluded, "You ain't seen nothing yet." Well, now we have seen nothing. What's next? :)
 
jack_thompson.jpg

"I didn't start this food fight. They started it and I have a right to respond because, believe it or not, I have a life outside of this case."

th236519821.jpg

"Objection!"

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204020357403.jpg


udgey.jpg


gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242752.jpg


"I bring to the court's attention the following document, found on Penny Arcade."

jackdocument.gif


jack_thompson.jpg

YEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242439.jpg


"In the case of the Human Race versus Jack Thomson this court finds the defendant...

"GUILTY"
 
looks like JT is off the case

www.gamepolitics.com

Monday, November 7th, 2005
7:01 pm Strickland vs. Sony Lawsuit Will Proceed Minus Jack Thompson

GamePolitics has confirmed a report that controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson has withdrawn from the Fayette County Alabama lawsuit Strickland vs. Sony.


...details to follow

(16 Comments |Comment on this)
 
monchi-kun said:
looks like JT is off the case

www.gamepolitics.com

Monday, November 7th, 2005
7:01 pm Strickland vs. Sony Lawsuit Will Proceed Minus Jack Thompson

GamePolitics has confirmed a report that controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson has withdrawn from the Fayette County Alabama lawsuit Strickland vs. Sony.


...details to follow

(16 Comments |Comment on this)


Hehe, I'm the one who passed on the intial report. Thank mmlemay and his source for that, I just followed up on a few gaming websites :)
 
iapetus said:
jack_thompson.jpg

"I didn't start this food fight. They started it and I have a right to respond because, believe it or not, I have a life outside of this case."

th236519821.jpg

"Objection!"

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204020357403.jpg


udgey.jpg


gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242752.jpg


"I bring to the court's attention the following document, found on Penny Arcade."

jackdocument.gif


jack_thompson.jpg

YEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242439.jpg


"In the case of the Human Race versus Jack Thomson this court finds the defendant...

"GUILTY"
Well done, sir! Well done!
 
iapetus said:
jack_thompson.jpg

"I didn't start this food fight. They started it and I have a right to respond because, believe it or not, I have a life outside of this case."

th236519821.jpg

"Objection!"

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204020357403.jpg


udgey.jpg


gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242752.jpg


"I bring to the court's attention the following document, found on Penny Arcade."

jackdocument.gif


jack_thompson.jpg

YEEEEEAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

gyakuten-saiban-ds-20050204110242439.jpg


"In the case of the Human Race versus Jack Thomson this court finds the defendant...

"GUILTY"

Absolutely perfect.
 
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