April 3, 2008
In Marble Falls, Texas last month, a 13-year-old boy shot a 15-year-old boy while they were playing the M-rated God of War.TV station KXAN reported at the time:
Troy Guthrie, Jr. suffered severe injuries that have affected his sight, hearing and motor skills... According to an arrest report, the boy was shot with a .22-caliber pistol...
The mother of the 12-year-old witness said the boys were playing the video game "God of War" ...The woman said after the shooting, the suspect asked her son to help take Guthrie's body out back and put it in a barrel. The boy refused and instead called 911.
Troy is recovering from his wounds, but apparently has lost much of his eyesight. Although some gaming sites reported the news at the time, GamePolitics opted not to cover the story as the linkage to God of War seemed peripheral.
Last evening, however, we received one of Miami attorney Jack Thompson's numerous e-mails. This one contained a supplement to a motion previously filed by Thompson with the Florida Supreme Court. Although it was mostly standard Thompson bluster, we noted the following passage:
While sitting at his desk today, the undersigned received a phone call from a lawyer in another state. Because of confidentiality requirements, Thompson will not share the state or other specifics about the call save to note that this lawyer wants Thompson’s help, as a lawyer, because a thirteen-year-old boy, while playing a violent video game, shot his client, a fifteen-year-old, in the head, permanently blinding him.
There is no question that but for the play of the game, this would not have happened. This lawyer said, “You’re the one lawyer in America who can help this family.”
The Texas case immediately sprang to mind, since the circumstances as described by Thompson fit perfectly. GP asked Thompson via e-mail whether he was referring to the Troy Guthrie shooting and whether he would be getting involved. Thompson's terse reply was "nope [to both questions]."
However, if Thompson's original claim to the Florida Supreme Court was accurate, we'd say that, given the circumstances, this has to be the God of War case, which would mean that an attorney in Texas is considering the idea of a personal injury lawsuit that would likely involve SCEA and, perhaps, a game retailer.
This is speculative, of course, but the circumstantial indications are, we believe, strong enough to report.
Comments
Hmm loaded pistol, M rated game, LOADED PISTOL.. umm LOADED PISTOL IN CHILDS HANDS.. feels like I'm missing something here MAYBE ITS THAT ******* PISTOL.
Yeah it's definatly Kratos' fault for teaching that poor 12 y/o boy to shoot his "friend" in the head with a loaded pistol. Or maybe more plausable that The kid just wanted to kill someone.
1. God of War has nothing to do with guns. The worst JT can call it is a Harpy Muder Simulator. Did the kids train on God of War to shoot? I think he will try and gloss over the way he tries to gloss over all facts that don't agree with his twisted perception of the world.
2. OK, set aside the problem that the kids were playing a M rated game... I'd like to ask where the parent was, but we are talking about a gun shot in the house. Are you trying to tell me there wasn't an adult ANYWHERE in the vacinity? No one heard the gun shot and a 12 year old had to call 911?
Granted, the crime happened while the mother, who apparently wasn't anywhere within the sound of a gunshot said they were playing a video game. I could be wrong, but isn't this a one player game? Basically you have a mother that left three kids alone with a gun, then when one of them shoots another, she comes up with the explanation that they were playing a violent game that contains violence, gore, nudity and a sex minigame... but no guns...
Three words... "Hello, Social Services?"
(Although I will admit, in defense of the devil - the GoW is pretty over the top for a 13 and 12 year old.)
At the risk of being labeled as evil. I suspect they're just looking for a payday here, and they probably can't sue the parents who left a loaded 22 where a 13 year old can get at it, because people like that probably don't have allot of money in the first place.
Something else occurs to me:
“You’re the one lawyer in America who can help this family.”
This must be some odd new definition of the word HELP that I wasn't previously aware of. Can someone enlighten me, has Thompson EVER won any kind of help for the families he's represented in these sorts of situations? Has he ever even won a case like this? Much less a settlement?
These people need grief/disability counseling, not John Bruce Thompson.
At what point does the failure of the parents become apparent? I pity society soo much right now.
Good one, heh.
Not only does this entire statement insult the collective intelligence of the human race, it also shows how Thompson's priorities are definitely in need of sorting.
First off, if violent video games were in fact the cause of all violence there wouldn't be a single school, workplace or home that hadn't been shot up. And to quote Adam Sessler, "I believe violence existed even before the creation of Pong."
And to the latter part of my previous statement; Thompson should really be more involved in how a 13 year old got his hands on a gun. Or why the parents let their sons interact with someone who is clearly unstable to begin with.
A lawyer out there is actually stupid enough to contact Jack when he's on the verge of losing his bar license?
I can't believe lawyers are this stupid to believe that video games make people kill.
How about the fact that these kids were playing this game to begin with? Or why the flying @#$ this kid had a gun?
Hey, Jackass Thompson, why don't you start a crusade about the fact the fact that the parents of these kids aren't doing their job!?
They let him get a gun and obvoisly didn't read the warning sings telling them the kids an idiot..
God save us all if that happens.
Because Jack's been SO successful so far hasn't he?
Jesus H Christ, when will people give it a rest...
GP: I don't think it has anything to do with the game, either. But that never stops anyone from suing...
How did the kid get the pistol? Seems to me that a lot of these problems can be described as poor gun control laws rather than video game violence.
"
there is now question huh... weird. I dont remember .22 pistols in god of war. Plus it says he shot the victim 'when they were playing' . I dont get it. Your holding a controller, playing a game, and for some reason the game then what, flashes up on screen 'pick up a gun and shoot your friend'. um.... i dont get what the shooting had to do with god of war other than it was basically in the games console at the time the shooting occured.
In other news the kid also had a comic on the floor, and a burrito in the microwave. There is no question , but for the burrito in the microwave, this would not have happened.
ps on a sidenote i love how JT made sure he quoted the 'one lawyer in america who cn help this family'. He is so full of himself n loves every bit of ego boosting he can get. shame he wont be able to 'help' after he loses his license. (although looking at his track record, id hardly call wasting money in frivolous lawsuits that have always ended in failure 'helping')
What a load of shit. It had nothing to do with the game, it was just an idiotic and immature kid with anger issues. But, of course, we know that people will try and spin it and act as if it was the game that made him that way. He could just naturally be that, no.
And yeah, not only is a 12 yo playing an M-rated game (and one of the most M M-rated games out there), but they also had access to a .22? The event is tragic, to be sure, but there's more at work here than God of War.
Yes I also would like to know more context of what happen and the kids lifes to know for sure...
2) Child plays with gun.
Which sounds more dangerous to you?
I only know of 1 person in the world who would say option 1 was more dangerous...
He only has to win one.
He can lose a thousand cases. But if Jack wins just one, everything comes crashing down. Jack wins.
And we lose.
Sucks, doesn't it?
And how do I know this?
McDonald's and a cup of coffee. Look at the stupidity that has resulted from that case. "Contents may be hot." No kidding.
What about the kid who refused to help the other dispose of the body and instead called 911? If the morally corrupting influence of video games were so powerful as some claim there would be two kids facing charges in this, not one.
Looks to me like you have one kid who did the wrong thing, and one kid who did the right thing by contacting the authorities. He's a gamer too, right? Where is the praise on this kid for doing the right thing and turning his friend in, possibly saving his other friend's life? Where are the speculations as to how video games have shaped his habits and morals?
i mean, wacko jacko, a lawyer on the verge of being disbarred, will attempt to say that a game without guns encouraged one child in the face with his illegal firearm.......
this sounds like some greedy, muck raking parent, looking at their blinded child, and thinking 'how the hell can we make some money from this?'
Where in the hell were the parents?
This Texas lawyer probably should have done his research. If he's representing Jack as some big time game lawyer that's going to win this he could be in serious ethical trouble himself.
12 + 15, too young for the game. Sue the parents.
Loaded Gun in the house. Sue the parents.
Sigh, I'm amazed by this :
“There is no question that but for the play of the game, this would not have happened.
REEAAAALLLLY.
If they had been playing scrabble and the boy had stolen a 'U' to go with his 'Q', would that statement still have been made ??
or would they be saying 12yo with a loaded gun made this shooting happen.
Bloody mind-numbing.
how does that work anyway. Was the Glock on the sofa next to the boy incase he got beat?
Or was one boy playing 'God of War' whilst the other was roaming the house looking for trouble and found the gun????
Actually all the God of War games have archers. But yes the lawsuit is wholly laughable if they try and connect the gameplaying with the shooting. Even the most facile judge would see through that.
"Where did you buy the M rated game"
"My son/grandson bought it"
"Can you prove it"
If yes: then its the retailers fault. If no: its the parents fault... either way, it only establishes that the kids were playing a game they shouldn't have. "Playing God of War" could have easily been substituted with "Smoking cigarettes".
I get the feeling that if they were playing Operation, this kid still would have shot the other one. Then where would Milton Bradley be?
Anyone else just think it was an argument over who could have the controller and one of them is obviously not all there and decided a gun was the way to go? The 13-year-old needs help.
This courtcase stinks of "someone has to (financially) pay for my son's eyesight loss and a 13-year-old can't". I expect it to be dismissed eventually.
"ORDER-OTHER SUBSTANTIVE DY Respondent's Motion for Court-Ordered Mediation is hereby denied.
DISP-REHEARING DY (RC) Respondent's Motion for Rehearing Via Oral Argument and all supplements thereto are hereby denied."
As Wile E. Coyote would say (while covered in smoldering ash): "Well...back to the old drawing board."
He was playing a stealth shooter that involves disposing of corpses...
He had attacked the other kid with large knives..
He had been caught having sex with two girls while trying to knock a candle off a desk..
He was randomly wondering around screaming "Zeus! You will pay for what you have done to me!"
But no, he shot another kid, while playing a game absolutely unrelated to guns.. a game with some of the most mature content out there. while adults were not paying attention.. and somehow got hold of a loaded gun..
This does not work..
As you can see it's been a LONG while since I last played. I can only remember sadly enough Athena's naked boobs. Might have just been a single one but I do remember seeing one.
Please, please, please, PLEASE don't let Thompson into my state. I like Texas and I don't want it to be soiled with his presence.
I'm not I'm just saying the kid used a gun to shoot the kid, not swords connected to his wrists by chains that where given to him by Ares GOD OF WAR! *thunder* To over dramatic?
Its a bloody "M". Cant parents read?
Wow. Ridiculous.
How about these three glaring issues: No parent around, the parents obviously allow the child to own games (probably bought it for him) that are rated above his age group, and easy access to weapons.
More murders have been done while under the influence of the bible (where the influential link has actually been pretty much proven) than any other copycat medium (arguably other holy scripture readings). This does not mean we should ban the bible, rather we should teach how to properly discern meaning/values from it.
http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=8073239
That should give people a hint on the real culprit.
"He had been caught having sex with two girls while trying to knock a candle off a desk..
He was randomly wondering around screaming “Zeus! You will pay for what you have done to me!”"
That's great, it's brought a genuine smile to my face and cheer to my heart.