Free Speech Lawyer Offers to Defend Bully For Free

September 29, 2006

It's not like Take-Two Interactive can't afford to hire lawyers.

But First Amendment attorney Larry Walters is willing to do legal combat with those who would bully the company's upcoming game Bully - for free.

Over at the IGDA's Sex in Games SIG, Brenda Brathwaite reports that Walters, who operates the GameCensorship.com website, didn't take kindly to one of Florida attorney Jack Thompson's recent threats to block the October 17 release of the controversial game, which Thompson has described as a "Columbine simulator".

In a message posted to the Sex in Games SIG's mailing list, Walters wrote:

"Thompson is at it again. His letter to Take Two, below. If he files suit, we hereby offer to assist Take-Two and defend their Free Express rights on a pro bono basis. This is absurd."

Absurd, indeed.

Brenda Brathwaite, by the way, is the author of the recently-published Sex in Video Games.

 

Comments

Bully for him. This sounds like a guy who's been wanting to take on Miami Jack for a while and is willing to pay for the privielege just for the experience and publicity.

I would love to see this guy and Thompson duke it out on the debate platform. By the way Dennis what happoned to the forms. Did they get moved or did you kill them off because of all of the problems with them?

Go for Take-Two! Games are to give us sense of comfort and enjoyment and not to brainwash us.

And to Jack Thompson, Berit Kjos and any anti-game people I know, please walk in front of the careening bus. Asshole naggers.

I'm going to guess the "Miami One Who I Will Not Name" (or MOWIWNN) will attempt to avoid going to any court against Mr Walters.

After all "MOWIWNN" style seems more like a annoy as many people as possible including those on his side and then go before the s*** hit's the fan. Then when everything takes a turn for the worst "MOWIWNN" whines and complanes of how it would be different if he where there. Ignoring the matter that he's the one who in a way build a boat ment to sink sailed it out to deep water with his supporters then jumped ship.

If he's willing to accept donations to support the case, I'd be more than happy to give him a few dollars for humiliating JBT in a high-profile case.

I'm probably not the only one, either.

HOOAH! Sorry, had to say it.

Well, this proves not all lawyers are bad. Trust me...or else!

We all know that there is no case against Bully anyway. The fact that they might even need a lawyer is absurd.

It's this kind of thing that warms my heart. To know that there's intelligent people still out there.

Well, its probably an easy win for the lawyer, considering any real lawsuit would probably be laughed out of court, or at worst, would end up being totally impossible to prove. Larry would get Jack to pay their lawyer fees, which I'm sure is probably a fair chunk of change, but it also would come with being able to take Jack to the mat in court and winning.

So good for him!

Sweet. I almost didn't believe when I heard this. I gues either this guy is a fellow gamer, or he got sick of Thompson making a bad name for those in the lega profession, or more likely both.

This is going to be like Phoenix Wright versus Winston Payne! Only easier.

Some one give this man an internet.

@ Elixer
Since when has the lack of a case against Take Two stopped them from needing a lawyer?

"But it's not speech! It's a device! It's a murder simulator! It's a Columbine simulator! I'm super super serial! Why won't anyone listen to me?!"

You know, the past few months have hectic. I have been logging ~60 hours a week for work, and my company's numbers are too low for comfort. It has been very stressful, and I have little free time. I am late for many personal obligations (one to GP even), and I HATE being behind on things.

Also, election season (the season of rampant ass-hattery) is upon us, so I get no pleasure from seeing the dumbass spewings of politicians. What's worse is that normally, I send off a few snappy letters to news agencies and the pols themselves - which helps me feel like I am doing something. This is not the case lately as I can't even post here regularly as I have in the past. I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the state of idiocy surrounding what is simply a harmless hobby and past-time for me - and many many people from all walks of life, from all over the world. To a well-adjusted person, all manner of video games, movies, and books (free speech in general) are completely HARMLESS.

Then today, I read this article. I was at first skeptical. But after I read his statement and poked around his website, I am willing say he is the real deal. Kudos to someone for taking a stand for true Free Speech - which by definition means defending speech that you don't personally agree with. I am heartened to know that someone is finally standing up to Jack Thompson and his ilk. FINALLY.

Sue away, Jack. Sue away. I hope he does. Assuming Walters is semi-competant (from reading his articles I would say more than that), he will defeat Jack handily. Jack, yout lies are simple, which makes them easy for unknowing people to believe. The truth is more difficult, but once a person sees it, it can't be denied.

I am actually having a good day for once. Yay, GP for bringing me good new for once!

~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~

Yea! let the battle begin!

JACK THOMPSON VS LARRY WALTERS!

It's time someone take a stand against this liar and his censorcrat allies!

Larry Walters is the non-fictional Superman: defending truth, justice and the American way.

GO WALTERS!

Even without him Brucie wouldn't have a chance in hell of blocking 'Bully' from being released, but it's nice to see somebody step into our corner who's willing to take the old man down a notch.

Pro-Bono?

So the U2 guy /did/ invest in Take 2?

*badum-tish*

/b

"JACK THOMPSON VS LARRY WALTERS!

It’s time someone take a stand against this liar and his censorcrat allies! "

Allies? What allies? He turns them all into enemies within half a month of them even remotely disagreeing with him.

the allies who constantly attempt to legislate games. out of the vast dozens of anti-game politicians,he's only really offended a few of them. then again,he's not working DIRECTLY with most of them.

But,If Al-qaeda was attacking us,and nazi germany was attacking us,at THE SAME TIME,and not attacking or showing animosity towards each other,we would have to think of them both as enemies who are teaming up on us.

so Larry Walters is Bizarro Jack Thompson.

Something like that.

Anyway,JT might cower away from sueing rockstar,now that the first ammendment attorney is here.

@ Grahamr

I highly doubt it. He'll just avoid the 1st ammendment attourney for fear of his fantasy world being cruched, he'll jsut look for loopholes to tryign t osue Rockstar and Take Two.

http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?p=439490 - Bully Preview with alot of gameplay involved.

It actually look like a good game.

'Like I said before the game has a strict schedule and if Jimmy misses one of his classes he will be truant. The top right of the game’s screen shows a small meter displaying your current violations. Examples of violations include truancy, violent, trespassing, past curfew and a handful of others. While in violation prefects walk the campus looking for kids skipping class and in violation. Looking at the radar you can see prefects in a Metal Gear Solid style cone of vision overlay. If one of these prefects spots you they will chase you down and your only escape is to hide in lockers or garbage cans until the coast is clear.'

cool

a lawyer who will work for free. finally!!

Looking for a pro bono atty who specializes in free speech issues.
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ZippyDSMleeSomething I did by hand on my convertiable laptop, http://zippydsmlee.deviantart.com/art/Cotlop-zelda-unfinished-sketch-WIP-finish-373937163 forgot if I posted it befor.06/19/2013 - 7:44pm
ConsterAlso, I guess The War Z changed its name so they can scam some more people?06/19/2013 - 7:44pm
ConsterAE: when even HuffPo makes the same joke, it's not something you want to take credit for. :P06/19/2013 - 7:43pm
Andrew EisenHey look! The War Z changed its name to Infestation: Survivor Stories. http://infestationmmo.com/06/19/2013 - 7:23pm
Andrew EisenYou're going to have a lot of company in prison, RedMage. Most of the internet has stolen MY joke. Bastards!06/19/2013 - 7:06pm
RedMageThe cover art thing points to an industry trend of only wanting to appeal to teen boys despite the talk of "broadening the appealz"06/19/2013 - 6:17pm
RedMageI'd like to turn myself in for unintentional theft of a joke. Ignorance of the law is no excuse :o06/19/2013 - 6:17pm
Andrew EisenRemember the fight to get Last of Us's Ellie on the game cover? Check this out: http://cheezburger.com/758618624006/19/2013 - 6:12pm
Andrew EisenRedMage - Thief! You stole my joke! You're a horrible, loathesome person! Or you simply had the same idea and didn't read my earlier shout!06/19/2013 - 5:35pm
RedMageMaybe they're going to rename it the Xbox 18006/19/2013 - 5:26pm
IanCBet EA are pissed.06/19/2013 - 5:17pm
Andrew EisenAh, James is just a little quicker on the keyboard than I!06/19/2013 - 5:07pm
Craig R.Too little, too late.06/19/2013 - 4:52pm
DorthLousPWAHAHAHAH, the MS spinning sound woke me up :)06/19/2013 - 4:27pm
Andrew EisenMicrosoft's new console shall now be known as the Xbox One-Eighty.06/19/2013 - 4:17pm
Andrew EisenI imagine we were typing our respective shouts at the same time.06/19/2013 - 4:14pm
MaskedPixelanteSo Andrew... is there going to be a new poll now? I mean, the one about the XBO DRM is kinda no longer relevant.06/19/2013 - 4:13pm
Andrew EisenIn light of Xbox One's furious backpeddling on its DRM policies, I'm closing the poll for now. I'll probably write a new one later today or tomorrow.06/19/2013 - 4:11pm
IanCFound three people whining about this so far. Saying that its because of cheapasses and that its going to be horrible online now. W T and indeed F.06/19/2013 - 4:09pm
Andrew EisenTechnogeek - I agree but: "After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again." Why do I need to connect online to set up a system I'm not going to use online?06/19/2013 - 4:07pm
 

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