Ruling in Jack Thompson Bar Trial May Not Come Until End of Summer

Ruling in Jack Thompson Bar Trial May Not Come Until End of Summer

April 21, 2008
Last week GamePolitics broke the news that the long-awaited ruling in Jack Thompson's Florida Bar trial, originally expected today, would likely be delayed.

We've now learned that Judge Dava Tunis (left), who presided over Thompson's 9-day trial late last year, has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to grant her until August 31st to issue her report.

Judge Tunis cited several reasons for the delay, including:
-the need to wade through a 2,500 page transcript of the trial

-reviewing 76 exhibits encompassing another 1,700 pages

-dealing with 400 "pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)" filed by Thompson since the trial ended in December, 2007.

-handling a full-time job on the criminal bench

Interestingly, the wording of her motion makes it appear that Judge Tunis has already reached her decision. It's the writing of the report that seems to be causing the delay.

Read Judge Tunis' motion here.

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@ John Bruce, if and when you see this article and/or read this comment.

"-dealing with 400 “pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” filed by Thompson since the trial ended in December, 2007."

This is the time you could have spent with your ailing wife. Instead you send 100 angry letters a month. That's roughly 4 per day, rounding up. I shouldn't even have to explain how bad this makes you look.

"-handling a full-time job on the criminal bench"

This is something that you also need to get a hold of, Mr. Thompson. You're not the most important case here, and believe it or not, the world isn't literally standing still while she reads the near-5,000 pages of your dripe.
@ThatOneGuy

It sounds like she's leaning toward the disbarring.
400? Seriously? Does that guy have anything better to do than right hundreds of emails to hundreds of different people everyday?

Oh wait, I know the answer to that.
And now...Thompson on the Roof:PART 1, by GRIZZAM...

JACK THOMPSON:HEY, I'M ON YOUR ROOF, ASSHOLES!
Dava Tunis:Sir, please get off the roof.
JT:F**K YOU, YOU OLD BROAD! YOU'RE CONSPIRING AGAINST ME WITH TAKE TWO AND THE FLORIDA BAR! I'M NOT COMING DOWN!
DT:Sir, if you don't get off the roof-
JT:HURRY UP AND DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO DISBAR ME! BULLY IS A COLUMBINE SIMULATOR!
DT:Sir, please, I need time to make that decision. It wouldn't take me so long if you hadn't filed so many-
JT:VIDEOGAMES ARE MURDER SIMULATORS! THEY'RE OUT TO GET ME!
DT:Please get off the roof...
JT:NO!
END PART 1
@Aliasalpha and DarknessDeku

Hehheh. Well I'm glad you two liked that. Aliasalpha, your script is excellent and will hereby be added to the continuity. Thank you. :)
And, 400 messages, in two months, and somehow he isn't the one preventing himself from being at his wife's side?

IF anything, he just has no life.
Just saw that letter to Zelnick's mother.

Um... wow. Obsess much?
No particular order, the first quote caught me enough just to scroll through it...

Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn’t killed someone yet.
Oh, you mean all 21.4 million(or maybe doubled/tipple/etc that number of units sold)?

blah blah age-verification blah blah
Funny, he seems to have picked up a few other retailers I pointed out to him, but he still ignores the "cc is valid form of 'adult' id" and the "you must be 18 to purchase this game" "license" agreement(heck, BestBuy did that for my Persona 3 FES order).

Strauss is even marketing the new Grand Theft Auto IV on World Wrestling Entertainment tv shows seen by millions of kids.
... And so are R rated movies and TV shows(like say CSI), so who gives a ****?

Insert any jokes you feel about wrestling, but I don't think that is very appropriate for them or a good example to use in regards to violence.

He's now dead because a teenaged boy unwittingly trained himself to kill him on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Ignoring the usual training bs, but wtf is the "UN-wittingly" bit?

Maybe we should have in the pass banned kids from playing cops & robbers or cowboys & indians(oh I think someone else asked it on that other blog, and Jack replied to them & deliberately ignored it).

Same can be said about all those comic books with men in tights becoming some vigilante above the law or a morally corrupt individual/criminal trying to force everyone to their personal --sometimes illogical-- beliefs of how society should act/function...

More like the Hitler Youth, I would say.
Not surprised at this with his obsessions and past actions, but such stuff does deserve pointing out....

OK that is it, he doesn't need a restraining order, Jack Thompson needs a strait-jacket!

I sure loved the things Kincyr pointed out, and speaking of the mom bit, I ask the following yet again:

Come on Jack, where is the REAL evidence that you really cares about this violence & kids issue? Keeping it short: I sure haven't heard a squeak from you in regards to solving IN REAL LIFE bullying since that Bully case... But then again, it isn't like you had any interest to actually do something about it until R* came along.

Jack, you are the one with problems regarding morals and professional behavior; why do you think people go out of their way to associate you with "chasing massacres" and are devoting(not in the good way) attention to what you say & do? And before you answer that, keep in mind this it isn't a conspiracy involving the ECA, FBI, the Bar, the US government, the Illuminati, etc....
@ Oh wow

What Jack continually fails to realise is that credit cards are only given to individuals over 18. He has a problem with kids using credit cards? Arrest the kids for STEALING THE GODDAMN CREDIT CARDS, not playing a video game.
I just love the line

"dealing with 400 “pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” filed by Thompson since the trial ended in December, 2007."

This one just makes me laugh. I mean, if this was a major complaint by so many, one would think he would get a clue.
Aww. Well that sucks. Oh well...drag out the drama...
Well, if it takes a few more months to make a judgement sound enough I guess it's for the best.

What's sad though is the amound of damage JT can make in a whole summer, especially if it is his last one as an attorney.
Oh well. I guess JT just gets to sit on pins & needles till the decision.
So in theory could Thompson drag out the ruling indefinitely by continuing to CC judge Tunis on every mailing he send out?
Problem is JT still won't be silenced by being disbarred. The first thing he'll do is appeal and Fox News will be more than willing to give him a voice.
Reply from Jack Thompson claiming victory in 3... 2... 1...

I understand the judge. If I have to read all the e-mails from that moron, I would need a half of a year, too.
Tis unfortunate that this fool might go on 'till the end of the summer with his senile debacles of self indulgent ranting...
Reply from Jack Thompson calling Judge Tunis a whore in 3...2...1...
Awesome! I will get to hear the news @ KumoriCon! I will totally take a sign with me after hearing the verdict. The general crowd there may appreciate it.
Jack Thompson is going to get off without being disbarred, I just feel it coming. The people who need to be punished never are.
[...] wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptLast week GamePolitics broke the news that the long-awaited ruling in Jack Thompson’s Florida Bar trial, originally expected today, would likely be delayed. We’ve now learned that Judge Dava Tunis (left), who presided over Thompson’s 9-day trial late last year, has petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to grant her until August 31st to issue her report. Judge Tunis cited several reasons for the delay, including: -the need to wade through a 2,500 page transcript of the trial -reviewing 76 exhibits encompassing another 1,700 pages -dealing with 400 “pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” filed by Thompson since the trial ended in December, 2007. -handling a full-time job on the criminal bench [...]
All good things come to those who wait? :D

Gift.
jack suing GTAIV in 1... 2... 3...
I have to agree with JT that this extension is excessive- especially since it does seem she has reached her decision. Waiting so long to get word on a decision that may have already been reached makes it difficult for him to plan long-term.

However, I would imagine that if JT is indeed to be disbarred, he would spam the courts & media with A TON of lawsuits, letters, faxes, emails, threats, insults, conspiracy theories, etc. The judge may be expecting this (having already gotten a taste of his wrath), and is wording her report in an airtight "slam dunk" manner.



Is Thompson still running for judge, or can we just add that to his mountain of little lies?
Well, according to paragraph 12, it appears she has reached a verdict whcih she's going to notify the parties as to which way she's ruling... she just needs time to gather the evidence to write her report... and I'm sure she wants the extra time to make sure it's EXACTLY right. The hope is to prevent Mr. Thompson from being able to appeal anything within the report that's erroneous.
This woman has the patience of a saint to put up with all those papers. That kind of paper work would drive any normal person up the walls or even put a gun to their own head. I admire this woman so much!
Well, look at it this way. If any of you are going to PAX, a ruling on the last day of it would definatly be an interesting event.
Judge Dava Tunis for Nobel Peace Prize.
i guess it takes a long time to word a document in a civil tone since it should not read "Fuck you, Thompson" as that would be a little hypocritical.
Poor gal...
Ok, so the report won't come out until Aug. 31, but we should know whether he was disbarred soon. That's what I understand when I read the motion
I think we can guess the outcome, anyway. I mean, seriously. If a guy sent you 400 pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives in only 4 months, how would you rule against him?

Jack is doomed.
Well if the ruling and report on the ruling isn't going to be handed out until August 31st, that's going to be one hell of a birthday present for me if he gets disbarred. Sure, it will be one day late to be a true birthday present, but still its the thought that counts...
@Ken

Its off the wall remarks like that that keep Jack attacking gamers.
Name calling and vague threats of violence help make the point he's been looking for all this time.

If you can't play nice, then shut up before you make the rest of us look bad.
I'd expect that Judge Tunis needs to make sure absolutely everything is completed, so there is no loopholes Jack can exploit.
Snicker.

Sorry I am just finding the mental picture of JBT biting his nails to the elbow while worriedly waiting amusing. Probably wrong of me but there it is.

Being a bit more serious I would tend to agree with Dennis in that it sounds like Judge Tunis has reached her decision (though it is wrong to assume) and is spending the time (what little excess she has apparently) making sure there are a no loopholes and such that could cause the ruling to be overturned.

Or to put it another way.

That the findings are wraving rabid idiot proof. This is NOT as easy as it sounds. Not underestimate the power of human stupidity.
Jesus creeping craps...

My heart goes out to the judge.
I half to applaude Judge Tunis for her patience in this, as I'm certain that JT constantly is trying to 'put her in her place' through these past four months. If anyone of us were to bombard another person with the same tripe that JT sends out it would be called harrassment, even border on stalking.

Judging by her past record, Judge Tunis is making sure that there is no loop hole or wiggle room that can allow JT chance to slither his way out of her final ruling. In other words, he's lost.
I can wait. This ruling is like a fine cheese in that it only gets better with age.
@ Are'el

Are you implying that going out of your way to antagonize the person in charge of your fate is a BAD idea?
JT to declare victory in 3... 2... 1....

May as well be, he did seem determined to bottleneck the process.
@DavCube

You’re not the most important case here, and believe it or not, the world isn’t literally standing still while she reads the near-5,000 pages of your dripe.

Dripe? Is that some sort of combination of drivel and tripe?
Just reading all of the things the Judge must go through in reguard to the trial, as well as Jack's ridiculous e-mails on top of her actual job just increases my hatred of Mr. Thompson 20 fold...
@GP

When you say it sounds like she's already made her decision, do you mean you think you know which way she's leaning? If so, which way?
@ Gray17

Could just be a misspelling of drip, though it would make a bit less sense. Nonetheless, I've decided that I love the word "Dripe" and am going to be using it often. It's kind of fantastic. My thanks to DavCube.

If I had to deal with the kind of day in day out dripe that this poor judge had to I'd need the time off too. I'm just hoping Jackie boy doesn't get too GTA happy before he's disbarred.
Hey GP, any other pics of the judge? She looks hot, but its hard to tell in the robe.
No, she says in the filed motion that she is currently preparing to tell both parties her ruling. I'm pretty sure she is just requesting more time to write the report.
@ Dick

No. Apparently my spelling just sucks. Or i was thinking one word and typing another. I dunno, some sort of mental lapse.

XD
Damn you and your random piles of paper, Jack! =P
/eyepop
Am I reading that right, did she just say a 2,500 page transcript, 76 exhibits encompassing 1,700 pages, and 400 “pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” filed by Thompson?

...I don't know weather to laugh or to cry.
I don't think I want to be a judge
While, intellectually, I side with her - I feel she may be hurting her own case. It's not like Thompson's gonna let the summer go by without killing any more fax machines. I don't know if there's a legal basis for it, but she needs to set a deadline for further motions, so she can buzzsaw through all the junk.

Again, I'm not a lawyer, but I wonder if it wouldn't make more sense to just redistribute the other cases off her docket, I mean seriously, it would almost be more humane to give her a month or so to just work on this.
Guy, Guys I just realized why JT hates on gamers and kills fax machines; he hates technology and all who use it! ...But wait a minute JT uses the fax machines to send all his court fileings and uses the computer to post comments on this site so I guess that means that... Jack Thompson hates himself.

Damn, now I actually feel bad for the guy.
More hilarity from Joke Thompson.
By August 31st? Four months? I guess I'm feeling patient today because I have no problem with that. Especially after reading "2,500 page transcript".
wow....
this is worse that what Mike Rowe has to tackle in the Discovery Channel show "Dirty Jobs"


@brandon
oh the irony! :p
Props to Judge Tunis for putting up with all that. With JT seemingly spamming her with more correspondance than I've had bowel movements since the trial ended, she still is taking the time to do a first-rate job of putting JT where he belongs (sorry, assuming, fingers are crossed)

@ JT: please keep the copy of this filing by Judge Tunis. Note the language. This is how legal papers are meant to look when filed professionally. No name calling, no insinuations, and most importantly no pictures or gay porn to make your filing stand out from the rest.
@Jadedcritic

Jack may kill more fax machines, but since he can't file anything without the signature of another Bar member (a fact that he constantly forgets or ignore), they'll most likely get thrown in the nearest trash can. Which means that video game companies are going to have a summer free of Jack Thompsonesques lawsuits. He'll send those letters, but Rockstar's lawyers (especially Ward) will finally be able to take a break from this guy.
Since Judge Tunis is including correspondences to and from Thompson that were sent AFTER the final hearing in December, I'm looking forward to this scenario:

1) Tunis informs both parties that John B. is guilty of violating Fl. Bar rules.
2) JT sends out rantings that insult the courts and attempt to discredit Judge Tunis
3) Judge Tunis includes these ranting into her final report and imposes sanctions that limit Thompson's 'communication' abilities

Repeat steps 2 & 3...


Ahh, the thought of JT digging himself into such a hole. We should buy him a shovel.
AAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW I NEVER get what I want for my birthday! Every dead fax from here till the end of august will be on Tunis' conscience, I hope she can live with herself...


@GRIZZAM 512
I'd like to submit a story treatment for part 2 if I may

JT: THAT'S IT, I'M GOING TO FLY AWAY!
DT: Sir, humans can't fly
JT: FUCK YOU! I'VE READ PETER PAN, I KNOW I CAN DO ANYTHING IF I TRULY BELIEVE
DT: Peter Pan is just a story, its not real
JT: EVERYTHING IS REAL!
DT: Even the fictional things?
JT: ESPECIALLY THE FICTIONAL THINGS!
DT: Sir, that makes no sense
JT: IT DOESN'T HAVE TO, I'M JACK THOMPSON! HERE I GO!
*JT runs to the edge & launches himself into the air*
JT: I CAN FLY! I CAN FL...
DT: Could somebody please get a mop?
@ GRIZZAM 512

LMFAO!!! That was great!

Jack Thompson will most likely wiggle his way out of this one with all the time he has.
Cool, I made a smiley face!
All well. I guess we just have to wait. I'm hoping that this means its in our favor.
*sigh*

If only trials were 3 days long a la Ace Attorney.
Sweet! I start University the day after the ruling is to be handed down... If Thompson gets disbarred it would be a heck of a back to school present! :-D
ITS A JT CONSPIRACY! He's obviously put the judge in his pocket to extend his career! He's working for T2 and doing falsely using the justice system to give spot light! He owns stock in T2 and is trying to exploit and keep his career going!

Wow....I feel like i just got JT Dumb. It sucks we'll have to wait, but sweet sweet victory is coming.
I tip my hat to Judge Tunis. We put up with JT on a minuscule basis compared to what this brave soul has to endure. I feel like I should send her one of those cute kitten posters that says "Hang in There!" I hope this woman loves her job or is a masochist of the highest degree...
"DT: Sir, that makes no sense
JT: IT DOESN’T HAVE TO, I’M JACK THOMPSON! HERE I GO!"

Best JT quote of all time.
It sounds like to me I finally got my question answered....even though the trail for his career has come and gone...his actions could still influence the Judge's decision....seeing as how he's sending 400 faxes to her is probably not helping his case.
@SeattleMan I say no I say lets just bury him and forget he evens exists.
@ GRIZZAM 512

Looks like he forgot to think happy thoughts. :P
wow I get the Thompson bar ruling on my birthday!

awesome!
dang how much rubbish has he been flying about over the years....

Tunis FTW!!!!!
When will it end?! now he gets to complain about GTA IV and as some jackass parent will claim on it while he's about, he gets to make a fool of himself hopefully one more time!
I dont think sending "400 pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” in 2 months helps his position. self sabotage thy name is thompson
[...] We knew a delay was being petitioned, but until now, there was no indication that Judge Dava Tunis would need four more months to decide the fate of attorney Jack Thompson. GamePolitics has obtained access to the judge’s Motion for Extension of Time to File Report of Referee, which askes the court for an extension until August 31 to grant her decision and report.  It cites the need to cover a “2,500 page transcript of the trial,” as well as the need to look through “400 pleadings, e-mails, letters and missives (including pictorials)” filed by Thompson since the trial ended in December, 2007.”  Judge Tunis also noted she’s handling this and maintaining her duties in criminal court. [...]
400 pleadings, emails, letters and missives in 2 months? Do you guys realize how many that is pr day? :o
I reckon that JT is anti-environment activist, I mean c'mon spamming those amount of paper isn't helping to save rain forests and the irks.

Hats off to Judge Tunis for her patience, after that she really really needs a long vacation after the havoc caused by JT, and poor her, since she will probably miss summer vacation because of the JT.
This is like hearing Christmas has been delayed. :(

Given Jack's antics from the transcripts (Arguing with a judge when she overrules your objection? *Seriously*, Jack?) I'm fairly confident a Censure or Suspension is the best-case scenario, Disbarrment seems incredibly likely. And for those of you saying it won't hurt him to be disbarrd because he can retain other counsel, you have to think that pretty much any lawyer he comes to will know that their client isn't just a concerned citizen, they're a disbarred attorney. They won't touch anything Jack brings them with a ten foot pole.
He doesn't get to appeal the decision, does he? At any rate, he'll probably move up to the political arena if he gets disbarred since they'd let anyone in.

I don't think anyone'd vote for this guy though.
AWWW! *puts away party hat*

But seriously. 400 emails in the space of 4 months? That's three A DAY. I LITERALLY change my underwear less frequently than thompson sends e-mail.

Not to mention the 4,200 pages of text. I don't think all my Textbooks this semester add up to even 2,000 pages, and she wants to read it all by summer? Sweet god that woman has a lot of work.

Do the work well, judge! I don't want this lunatic to be able to practice law in my state EVER again!
So in short, the poor judge has to sort through several months worth of junk mail and spam, courtesy of JT?
@400 email comments...

Wouldn't you submit nonstop evidence and reasoning behind why you shouldn't be disbarred? Disbarring a lawyer is like taking a Doctor's medical license away it's pretty much game over for your law career. I completely understand his submitting of 400+ emails, pleads, and other such.

As for the extended notice I would say her verdict hasn't been made till the ink is dried on the report. Look at it this way if she gives a guilty verdict JT will dig through the response for any error that can be exploited to file against if she gives a not guilty verdict the bar and the people who want him disbarred will dig through the response for any error that can be exploited. Basically she is between a hard place and a rock. Therefore she has requested additional time in order to make sure that the report she does submit is complete and with as little to no errors with in.
@Twin-Skies

Seems like he's trying to add more.
I thought the trial was over? Why does the judge have to read anything Jack sent afterwards? Is she considering it as evidence? When does the prosecution get examine or refute it? Also, is she gettng paid by the hour, whats taking so long, I hope all her cases don't take this amount of time.
@ Jeremy

"Wouldn’t you submit nonstop evidence and reasoning behind why you shouldn’t be disbarred? Disbarring a lawyer is like taking a Doctor’s medical license away it’s pretty much game over for your law career. I completely understand his submitting of 400+ emails, pleads, and other such."

Of course it'd make sense to try to do as much as possible to do something like that. DURING THE TRIAL. Not AFTER it, over the period of four months. There's a difference.
@ Jeremy:

"Wouldn’t you submit nonstop evidence and reasoning behind why you shouldn’t be disbarred? Disbarring a lawyer is like taking a Doctor’s medical license away it’s pretty much game over for your law career. I completely understand his submitting of 400+ emails, pleads, and other such."

There is no need for non-stop evidence, unless for some reason you keep on discovering more and more. Thompson has no defense. He broke several Bar laws and is now paying the price. If there were evidence proving him innocent of the disciplinary charges, all he had to do was present it once. But he couldn't. His defense does not exist.

What he presented instead was a barrage of bizarre rants, insulting diatribes that had little or nothing to do with the issue at hand (his breaknig of the bar laws), and more to do with throwing insults at those who rightly brought these discipline charges against. He mentioned his 60 minutes appearance and plugged his book instead of trying to offer any kind of defense. He screamed that there were conspiracies against him, all because of his religious and social beliefs, when they do not excuse your professional behaviour (or lack thereof).

Saying that everyone else is wrong and you are the only right one is not a defense. The most unfortunate thing for this idiot is, had he merely owned up to breaking those laws, apologised and taken a short suspension or small fine at the start, he could have avoided all of this. But no, exuding hubris, Thompson could not admit that he was wrong and had behaved unprofessionally decided to try and prosecute everyone else for his behaviour.

Supplying huge amounts of relevant evidence in your defense, that's perfectly fine. Thompson however, knows that no such evidence exists, and in lieu of it bombards the bench with his inane screed in an effort to delay the inevitable or derail the process completely, thus avoiding the professional sanctions that we all know he deserves so richly.
Yes, there's no mention that everything or even anything Thompson is sending the judge is evidence at all, and given his past harassments it's safe to believe he's just harassing the judge like all the others he has.

Evidence would have had to be displayed in court so that the prosecution could analyze and deal with (either change their plans if it's valid or refute it if it's invalid evidence), and the only use for evidence after a trial is to get a retrial should some major evidence come to light. What sort of major evidence can you even think of that would possibly come up in a case like this?

At best he's continuing his harassment of people, at worst he's trying to illegally sway the judge to his side by submitting evidence without opposition.
All things considered, Judge Tunis is asking until August. Will it actually take that long? Probably not, but she is almost certainly seen how long it has taken so far and has decided to err on the side of caution, rather than have to ask for another extention. If anything, I think she wants to make sure that her ruling is legal airtight, so old weasel boy doesn't try to squirm his way out of it.

However we all know that Jack Thompson's Faxicide spree is far from over. Please, think of the poor defenseless fax machines Jack!
@Jeremy

The problem with Thompson sending in 400 emails is that this was part of the complaint against him to begin with (Takes hat off for the death of that poor fax machine). I highly doubt that all 400 are filled with real evidence, more than likely they are filled with his opinions and claims against those who testified against him as well as possible threats against the judge (ie I will run against you) type statements.
Anyone know where Jack is posting these days? He's been banned from Justice Building Blog, he's quiet on Jaablog, and I haven't heard anything more from him on Kotaku.
So wait, his wife is sick?
@jab49

Ovarian cancer. It's an odd subject. Jack seems to want to blame the courts for keeping him from her. I don't know, I can't pretend I understand it. If my wife were having some kind of health crisis; I'd hire someone else to handle my defense, and only be present in court as was required.
I just saw the newest on Kotaku, the letter to Zelnick's mother.

I do believe this is a new all-time low for Thompson.

You, sir, have no shame.
If it wasn't for the order sent down that's stopping Jack from filing new documents with the court on his own, that 400 number would be growing on a daily, if not hourly basis.
JT saying the case is satire in 3... 2... 1...

Yeah, Dava. Hope you don't pass out from overwork. That would be a tru shame.
Aw man.I was looking forward to do my maniacal laughter of joy,and follow up by playing a nice game of COD4.Just have to wait then.
@Mario, et al:

He's about to be tossed off the states bar through a decision by the Florida State Supreme Court. There [i]is no appeal[/i].

He could technically appeal to the SCOTUS. Good luck getting cert on that one.
I dunno... Maybe I'm not upset at this extension because I feel Judge Tunis is simply trying to be VERY thorough.

On the other hand, with Jack unable to file motions without another lawyer's signature, and this disbarment trial in it's final months he's basically been defanged and the venom removed. Sure, he can go on Faux News and go nuts about how horrible games are, murder simulators, destroyers of all society. However, without his status as an upstanding lawyer he's no different than the crazy guy you see on the corner with his, "The End of the World is Now" sign.

@ Retro

Wow... Zelnick's mom... That's just... Wow...

If anything this confirms JT needs SERIOUS counseling. Many, MANY issues to work out there. SHEESH!
Anyone have a link for the letter to Zelnick's mom? Can't seem to find the article on Kotaku.
JT coming in here, declaring all of you "3 2 1" commenters to be slanderous, and jamming your fax machines with C&Ds in 3... 2... 1...

(Joke's on him when he gets to me -- I don't even have a fax machine!)
@ Ix (and anyone else interested)

The Kotaku article didn't have a headline to itself, it was a comment made in the "The Week in Grand Theft Auto IV" article. A google search pulled it up rather quickly:

http://kotaku.com/381876/the-week-in-grand-theft-auto-iv#c5292410

No idea if it's legit or not, but if it is, that's just disgusting. :\
Thanks for the link, off to read. Hopefully it isn't legit though from what I've heard and what I can guess anything from JT would say.
Something I'm mildly curious about. I've been looking at Wikiquote about the horrible things Jack Thompson says about the Gamer Community. Surely this qualifies as libel? Can't we file a class-action suit or something? And it should happen before Thompson gets disbarred, so he can defend himself. After all, we wouldn't want someone competent to take his case.
Wow, JT is writing to the TT CEO's mother now.

I smell "restraining order".
One more thing: If you click on Jack's Kotaku Profile, you'll see a very telling remark.

(Title)jackthompson's Friends(/Title)

jackthompson has no friends.
@Retro:

You can't libel a class. He has a perfect first amendment right to be an ass, even a lying one, as long as his slander remains unspecific. Norm Kent taught him a five-figure lesson on the consequences of crossing that line.
Ok, that's a serious wtf letter. Unfortunately, it's filled with enough complete lies of JT's type that I can believe he at least wrote it. There's plenty of questionable facts, like near the end where he mentions "unwittingly trained himself to kill" which is in my opinion impossible. Even if we set aside the complete BS that the game can train someone to kill, there's no way you can unwittingly train to kill someone like his letter states. There's no mistaking what you're doing when you're training to kill someone, I know this from basic training, where'd you learn what it's like to train to kill someone Jack?

*sigh*

Jack, this is exactly the kind of idiotic stuff you're in trouble for with the bar. Will you fsking grow up and learn your lesson that ANY REASONABLE ADULT WILL NEVER EVER ACT LIKE THIS. Being a lawyer you're expected to be even better behaved, especially when it relates to a case of yours, but somehow you still are living in a mythical dream world where you're allowed to do anything to anyone because the voice in your head, whom you believe to be "God," said so. You keep going on and on about how gamers need to grow up, but it's obvious the only person who needs that advice is you. Even if you're unwilling to do it for yourself, think of your family and the damage your actions must be doing to them.
Maybe she needs the extra time to make it as long as she can, so she can get revenge on him when he appeals.
Why DO you guys address him? He doesn't reply by posting, just by filing lawsuits...

Anyway considering the plans I have coming up this fall, this August D-Day would just be icing on the cake. :D

Anyone still down for the Flowers for Dava/Muffin Basket campaign? I'll see what I can do. :P
Gotta give Jt credit for this line:
"but, hey, your son Strauss has recently assured the world that he is "a Boy Scout, everybody knows that." I'd love to see the merit badges that Scout Troop handed out. Is there a Ted Bundy merit badge?"

And why does he keep bringing up boyscouts?
(To any boy scouts out there,keep the hell away from jack thompson apparently he has a scout fetish)

"Your son, this very moment, is doing everything he possibly can to sell as many copies of GTA IV to teen boys in the United States, a country in which your son claims you raised him to be "a Boy Scout." More like the Hitler Youth, I would say."

Did the Hitler youth have merit badges?
If so I highly dout they would have one based on a murder that was yet to be born.

Ahhhhhhhh the insanity
Jack Thompson comming on here yelling about how he isnt a perv and how were all going to burn in 3..2..1
Well, here's a question... If Jack is found guilty and his license is stripped, is he still a lawyer until the appeals process is complete, or will he be de-pantsed until the ruling is overtuned?

I state this because the moment he's rendered defenseless, he'll have litigation on all sides trying to tear him apart and he'll actually need to pony up money to pay for his defense.

The man seems to think he's teflon, but I'm pretty the vultures are circling to finish him off once his license is stripped.
@Mazinger-Z:

Just be sure there's enough popcorn for everyone... :D
Just read the letter. And I didn't think it was possible to be any more disgusted by Jack's actions. But, hey, I was wrong.

I gave my Mom a link to the JT articles hear and told her to read the trial accounts, since she has worked with lawyers in the past and knows how they behave. Instead she started from the beginning of the Jack tag. Her comment: "He's insane."

This from a woman who was very concerned about the games I played when I was growing up. Even afterwards. Columbine had her very concerned that I played Doom and such games, even though I was over 18 when they came out and 24 at the time of the massacre. We had several discussions on the matter.

So it's very safe to say that she is in JT's corner that kids shouldn't play violent games. Still, she thinks he's bat-shit insane. I think that says a lot about him. If I were a kid now, you'd probably know her name, because she'd be out there discussing game ratings and the effect of games on kids. It's nice to know she wouldn't have anything to do with JT if she were, though.
Wow.... I particularly was blown away by the idiocy in this statement in that letter:

Your son last week was reported to have said the following about Grand Theft Auto IV, due to be released Tuesday, April 29:
"We've already received numerous [GTA IV] reviews, and to a one, they are perfect scores. My mom couldn't write better reviews…"

Taking your son's thought, I would encourage you either to play this game or have an adroit video gamer play it for you.
Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn't killed someone yet.
...I just read the letter....and, as a gamer....a peaceful man,,,and as a human...I have only one remark I can honestly make. If this is from our friend JT.....He should be...what would be the proper term, oh yes EXILED FROM THE PROXIMITY OF AND ERASED FROM THE RECORDS OF THE WHOLE OF THE HUMAN RACE!!


Sorry, that just p^*&(d me off.
"Taking your son’s thought, I would encourage you either to play this game or have an adroit video gamer play it for you. Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn’t killed someone yet."

LOL, f***ing idiot. ... You can't exactly swing a broken joystick and not hit someone like that, unless you specifically looked in the jails/prisons...

Oh wait, I'm using logic, nevermind. I forgot who I was addressing... It happens.
I was about to address that comment in the letter, but thought against it because i couldn't really think of anything witty to back it up. If there was nothing that proved John Bruce's bigotry before (there was. A LOT.) then there certainly is now.

He may as well have told her to find a place on earth where the grass is green and the sky is blue.
er... sigh, well I hope the gist of what I said was implied. :( I guess I'll leave the biting satire to the "experts" :P
If I was some lifeless schmuck like Thompson, I would write a letter to his "sick" wife. Perhaps she is unaware she is married to a vile, disgusting excuse for a life form.

Good job, JT- you make it harder and harder for me to give lawyers and christians the benefit of the doubt.
OMG @ letter.
That letter is pure harassment, Staruss mom should sue JT ASAP, and get restraining order quick!

I mean I thought JT was low, but not this low.
Trying to intimidate ones mother is never good, because it's low, and JT whines about "Oh, I can't be with my sick wife" c'mon man.
@Anonymous

Yeah, spot on.

@Zerodash

Just don't go there.
@Mazinger-Z:

If he's sanctioned, whatever sanctions he recieves are still effective during any appeal.
Knowing JT and his penchant for emails this shit is gonna take forever. I just cant wait until the bar yanks his licence. Jack Thompson gives water babies a
bad name.
"Good job, JT- you make it harder and harder for me to give lawyers and christians the benefit of the doubt. "

Really?
I've had similar side effects except replace lawyers and christians with Humans in general

Fun Facts
Jack grew up in Cleveland Ohio(nobody grows crazy like Ohio)
Jack is 57 and has a 15yr old son(yikes)
Jacks email and phone number can be found at the following website:
http://www.floridabar.org/names.nsf/All/07D079003898F95585256A830051348B...
What gets me is that, if he cc'd that letter to other outlets, he's also handing around the Email address of Strauss Zeinicks' mother...

Where's the part in the Bible where Jesus wrote to a sinners mum? If that is genuine Jack, which seems likely, then it is the worst act of cowardice I have ever seen from him...
Let's see... half-truths, familiar rhetoric, shameless self promotion ("I was on 60 Minutes)... yeah, that sounds like him.
I fail to see how this is the lowest he has ever sunk. Never forget his letter to the friends & family of that guy who committed suicide. The man freakin' GLOATED about his death. That was his lowest point ever.

A close second might be his continuous milking of his wife's cancer...if she really is sick.
So, right around PAX. Cool beans.
Anyone familiar with "St. Bernard" Filters? I'd like their proxies so I can read the letter.
damntags.

Last try to close, and I swear next time I will use this to CHECK my reply(for others who want to try this out/use it, just put your text with formating tags between the body statements):
http://htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/direct.html.en
"...so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn’t killed someone yet.”

I love the 'yet' at the end of that sentence, because if we are all going to kill someone at one point, it will, at the very least, sort out the housing market, because there wouldn't be anyone left to buy houses.

The man is going psychotic, it's the only possible excuse, when someone starts writing to people's mums and going into non-stop preaching and insult mode, they are over the edge, beyond the envelope and sailing on the calm, lucid seas of Psychopathy.
@JT, if he ever reads these

...try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn’t killed someone yet.”


Hey, uh, Jack? Do insects count? If not, I fit that bill.
@ Shadow Darkman

Ah sorry mate but you forget that in the eyes of JBT killing pixels in a game is the same as killing someone IRL. Most people do seem to understand there is a difference but not our misbegotten jackie.

The irony is strong with his letter. He who used his son for his little string had the gaul to attacked Zelnicks Mother blaiming Her for how Zelnick "Turned out" like he had some moral highground to preach from.

His letter should be kept and printed somewhere down the road in one of those "He didn't really say that" type of books. After Strauss sues jackie anyways.
Perhaps JT may equate killing in games to actual killing based on that christian belief that thinking about something is equal to doing it.
@ Zerodash

Seems as such, yes. It's possible, and I agree with Shadow Darkman. Never killed anything besides a few bees and other random insects.
Jack's gone crying to the EEOC. His letter can be found at Bob Hurt's lawgroup. The funny part is that the Florida Bar isn't Jack's employer nor is Jack their employee. It can't be often that the EEOC receives a complaint from a self-employed person (although I'm not sure that what Jack does can accurately be described as "self-employment").
@ those confused by Jacks "Some of the latter gamers are on death row, so try to find one out in the civilian population who hasn’t killed someone yet." statement.
By the "find ONE" bit I assume by that he means just gamers, and thinks that we all have or soon will go postal.

Again, numbers prove him otherwise. I like countless others have played them with no such effect. I personally have no problem with the sort of cartoony GTA's gore, but things to the extent of Manhunt I won't play or watch.
@Roxas

You never said you'd come back. Welcome back!

@Zerodash

Thing is, Roxas and I have only ever killed insects in RL, so don't we fit the bill JT has distributed?

If not, I'd love to hear what game he thinks I trained on to lower the world's insect population. That would give me a real laugh.
@Shadow Darkman

@Roxas

You never said you’d come back. Welcome back!

@Zerodash

Thing is, Roxas and I have only ever killed insects in RL, so don’t we fit the bill JT has distributed?

If not, I’d love to hear what game he thinks I trained on to lower the world’s insect population. That would give me a real laugh.


EDIT: The lines for Zerodash were meant for Icehawk. My bad.
Since this is about the Florida Bar doesn't that mean he can move up to Georgia and start more unmerited lawsuits there ?
Hopefully she had an army of legal aides to sort and read through the reports. I wonder if she does if they'll quit after this case?
[...] The Florida State ruling on Jack Thompson, may now be delayed until the end of Summer. Judge Dava Tunis wishes to wait until my birthday, August 31st to release her decision, and I wholeheartedly thank her for the gesture as long as Jackie-boy is duly disbarred. Come on Judge-y and give me a good birthday present! [...]
Re: Ruling in Jack Thompson Bar Trial May Not Come Until End of

 Maybe all of you have snoozed while Jack Thompson has made a number of excellent points about Tunis.  He discovered that somebody (probably her notary, no longer working in the courthouse) forged her 876.05 loyalty oath required for public employment, and that she finally signed a new one in February, well after the beginning of her term.  On 6 June he filed suit against her and the state in the Southern District USDC for operating against him ultra vires, and he specifically attacked the oath.

It turns out that the Governor never requires appointment nominees to swear the 876.05 oath OR the 105.031 oath that all judges should swear before getting appointed.  For one thing 105.031 requires the candidate to swear to having read the judicial canon.  Apparently Tunis never read it.

Furthermore, it turns out that somebody in the Jeb Bush administration ordered removal of the jurat from election forms in 2000, and Browning just ordered it restored last June.  As a result nobody sworn in between 2000 and last June validly holds office, owing to the missing jurat.  Without the notary seal and signature the oath has no validity, and the alleged judge is an 843.0855 felony imposter.  

You might pause in your criticism of Thompson long enough to look at the lawsuit Montgomery Sibley filed in the Northern District USDC against the Supremes and his disbarment referee Orlando Prescott, seeking 80 megabux in damages for precisely the same reason.

Both men seek remedy for their fraudulent disbarments.  However, they should not ignore  a more ideal and ambitious undertaking - to bring down the criminal superstructure of Florida government.  It turns out that NO elected or appointed officials who took a candidate's oath or Article V Section 2 public officer's oath between 2000 and June 2007 validly holds office, and that is virtually EVERYBODY in office.

Have any of Jack's detractors looked beyond the petty attacks on his character at the substantive issues?  Every attorney who does not attack bogus judges under quo warranto and qui tam does a disservice to clients, the public, and the profession.  

According to Thompson's federal lawsuit filed yesterday (Friday June 6), Dava Tunis conducted a kangaroo proceeding regarding Thompson's disbarment, refusing to let him mount a defense, enter evidence, or call witnesses, and ordering him to shut up when he tried to make record.  So, even if she had valid loyalty oaths on file, she would still fit the definition of "high-handed" and a denier of due process.  Regardless of your beefs against Thompson, you should work to support his constitutional rights.  Your bar oaths require you to do that.

Re: Ruling in Jack Thompson Bar Trial May Not Come Until End of

I'm ecstatic that the majority of you guys are against Jack Thompson, yet I am saddened by the few of you that support him.

Anyone who prioritizes wealth over the lives of children and uses the bodies of students slain in school shootings as stepping stones for political power....there's just no words to describe someone so digusting.

Re: Ruling in Jack Thompson Bar Trial May Not Come Until End of

I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area.  If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?

But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself.  Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children.  Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story.  Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age.  The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself.  Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head.  Not gonna happen.  Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.

The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status).  In  a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent.  The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me.  Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time.  It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?

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GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 03/21/10 at 09:10am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo, to meet with House Democrat Caucus in effort to win over undecided votes for health care reform bill.
Posted 03/21/10 at 09:02am
JDKJ: BREAKING: Angry mobs of duckbill platypus march on Sydney in opposition to appointment of Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Posted 03/21/10 at 08:56am
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 preferred women with big tits.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:32pm
Aliasalpha: Ding dong the witch is dead eh? Maybe we'll finally be treated as adults here and women can have small tits again!
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:28pm
JDKJ: Survey says no opinion either way. But approval is high among wombats.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:25pm
BearDogg-X: JDKJ: What does the wallabies and crocodiles think of Skippy?
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:24pm
Andrew Eisen: Beardogg-X - Not staunchly, no. However, only one AG has gone on record as supporting an R18+ rating. The rest either stated no position or declined to comment.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:23pm
JDKJ: Of 437 koala bears surveyed, 420 disagree with choice of Skippy for interim AG.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:21pm
BearDogg-X: With Atkinson stepping down, the question now becomes was there any other AG besides him that was against R18+? His stepping down does make R18+ more likely to be approved.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:18pm
Andrew Eisen: Well, Adelaide readers seem pleased with Atkinson's decision. 420 out of 437.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:15pm
JDKJ: BREAKING: Vacant Aussie AG post to be filled by Skippy, the Bush Kangaroo.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:12pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Gamecube and Xbox came out in late 2001 with contollers pretty similar to the Dual Shock. You never know thoug. This Fall may be when the standard controller changes from the Dual Shock to a motion wand. *shudder*
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: at a quicker rate these days.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:09pm
Flamespeak: I believe that was launched in the first part of 1998. 2 years seems kind of fast too, but then again the world seems to move
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:05pm
Andrew Eisen: Flamespeak - Not when you consider Sony's been using the same controller since the PS1.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:03pm
BearDogg-X: Andrew Eisen: I meant that it won't take as many people to change their votes next election. Besides that, it's become a moot point now that he's stepping down as AG as soon as the election's over.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:02pm
Flamespeak: Seems kind of early considering the PS2 didn't launch until well into 2000.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
Andrew Eisen: Fleamespeak - I'd say since around the turn of the century.
Posted 03/20/10 at 10:01pm
BearDogg-X: BREAKING NEWS: Atkinson will step down as South Australia Attorney-General; will remain in Parliament
Posted 03/20/10 at 09:59pm
Andrew Eisen: BearDogg-X - Not sure what your point about Atkinson having only 8500 votes is, seeing as that's around 65% (of the total votes counted at the time).
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