BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

June 16, 2008 -

A pair of U.S. Marshals were apparently dispatched to Jack Thompson's house today.

The controversial attorney complained about the visit from the law enforcement officials in a filing with the U.S. District Court in Miami. Among the U.S. Marshals' duties are providing security for federal courthouses.

Although the purpose of the marshals' visit is not entirely clear, judging from Thompson's tone, it seems that they carried a warning of sorts. In wake of the visit, Thompson charged that he is being harassed by the Justice Department. The embattled attorney wrote to Chief Judge Federico Moreno:

I was visited today by two U.S. Marshals who were nice gentlemen, and very professional and courteous in their dealings with me.  My complaint is not with them...

 

I have been asking the Justice Department simply to meet with me about [the video game industry's] criminal targeting of me for harm...  Our US Attorney here has obstructed that effort... Instead of being afforded the Justice Department investigation to which I am entitled, I get today harassment from that same Justice Department...

 

When you and the Justice Department dispatch U.S. Marshals to my home because of a letter I wrote you last week complaining about misconduct by District Court Judges here in the Southern District, the purpose of that visit was  to intimidate and harass me...

 

The notion that I pose some sort of physical threat to you or to the judiciary or to anyone else down here is a cruel joke.  The two Marshals said, “If you had actually hand-delivered the letter to Judge Moreno, we would be concerned.”  To that I said, “But I did.  I did that last week because the gentlemen at the metal detectors would not deliver it, and THEY TOLD ME TO DELIVER IT TO YOU.  I buzzed into  your inner offices on the thirteenth floor, and I politely handed the letter to your clerk, who politely took it.

 

If I were a danger to anyone, that would have been the time for me to have proven it, right?  In fact, I have never threatened anyone in my entire life, and you know that, and the Marshals said they knew that.  They were apologetic about being dispatched to my home.  This is outrageous, Judge.  Simply outrageous.   

As GamePolitics reported in April, Thompson complained that the FBI would no longer take his calls (see: JT+FBI=LOL).

 

UPDATE: What seems to have prompted Judge Moreno to dispatch the US Marshals was a letter written by Thompson to Moreno on Friday in which he alleged that al Qaeda suspects at Guantanamo Bay have more rights than he:

 

We find yesterday that enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point...

 

I demand a hearing.

Thompson's anger with the U.S. District Court apparently stems from a string of failed attempts to gain federal judicial relief in his ongoing struggle with the Florida bar. The Bar, as we've been reporting, has recommended that Thompson, 56, be disbarred for a minimum of ten years.

UPDATE 2: Thompson has written to the counsel for the House Judiciary Committee requesting a meeting in Washington to air his complaint that the Justice Department is harassing him.

UPDATE 3: Thompson has filed yet another document with the federal court, this one containing a copy of a Freedom of Information Act request which Thompson sent to the Attorney General's office. He is seeking any Justice Department records relating to him since 1992.


Comments

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

You forgot Penny Arcade. Apparently they've been involved in "Rocketeering".

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Really?  The way I heard it, it was Raconteuring.  Rumors are funny things like that.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Props to the both of you for referencing that awesome comic.

E. Zachary Knight
www.editorialgames.com

 

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

I agree.

For once in a long time, you win the Internet. Good God, I never thought it possible.

I AM A LOST SOUL, CONDEMNED TO HAUNT THE DREAMS OF JOHN BRUCE "JACK" THOMPSON UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS. SOMEONE, PLEASE! END MY SUFFERING!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

"anything with Jack Thompson’s name on it is to be treated as the equivalent of bathroom tissue."

Best Thompson quote ever. For once in his sorry life, he actually shows some self-awareness.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Somehow, I doubt that anything Jack writes would be treated as toilet paper... printer paper's anything but soft and comfortable. I'd think a better use would be birdcage liner, if only from strictly practical concerns.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Plus I wouldn't want to expose my Bum to that kind of toxic acid its sensitive lol

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

They should have showed him how a taser works while they were there.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

I'm curious to what evidence Jack has that the video game industry is targeting him for physical harm.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Occasionally idiots phone and threaten him, I don't doubt it happens to be honest, but to assume that this is somehow encouraged by the gaming industry, either directly or indirectly, is paranoia at it's extreme level.

You see, I think the way his mind works is like this:

1: Jack Thompson has an opinion.

2: Video Game industry disagrees

3: Jack Thompson attacks the Game Industry and it's customers.

4: The customers react, some of them stupidly, as is the wont of the general public.

5: Jack assumes that these people, by supporting the industry, are therefore part of it.

Look at how Jack continuously refers to GP as an 'Industry Site', despite the fact it is a consumer site. He honestly can't tell the difference. He's got so used to stereotyping everyone on the actions of the minority that he's completely lost the plot.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

While I have no doubt that some people are threatening Jack, you also have to realize that Jack sees anyone disagreeing with him as a threat. So anyone who innocently calls him up and asks him a few questions is almost assuredly thrown in with those who actually make threatening statements.

And let's not forget that Jack brings a great deal of this upon himself. Not only does he make disparaging statements against anybody on a whim, he also publishes his home address and telephone number in every single internet post, mailing, and filing that he's ever made.

He wants people to contact him so that he can turn around and claim that he's being harassed because people are contacting him.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

In defense of the devil, I know GP claims to be a consumer site, but they do walk a hairy line.  Don't misunderstand me, I know the ECA pays the bills.  However, there's a consistency of tone and message that's hard to deny.  And it's not like there isn't a precedent, there are plenty of industry sites out there that consumers participate in.

That said, don't misunderstand me as endorsing the flaming-jack-o. The guy is completely out of touch with reality.  I should be curious to get the opinions of people who've done actual time, as I would wager that most don't want to go back.  Much less Guantanemo, but hey, maybe he was just spearking figuratively.

"Even if it was online gaming that somehow inspired him to kill his parents, he must have realised at some point that they wouldn't drop any good loot." - GP member, Doomsong

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

ah, but the ECA is consumer-based.  wasn't that made obvious by the dissention articles about DCMA (which the ESA loves) and the ESA's faulty practises?

Here are we -- and yonder yawns the universe.

Here are we -- and yonder yawns the universe.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Well, GP itself has pro-industry leanings, as in, it supports the existence of a gaming market for adults, something which Jack doesn't, but I seem to recall that Thompson claimed it was owned by the gaming Industry, which isn't true.

If he'd have said it was supporting the Industry in its fight against his ignorance, I would have accepted that just fine, but that support is voluntary, not compulsory. I just don't think that Jack really understands how much disgust at himself he creates.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

oh, he can tell the difference... it just suits his agenda better to say that we are an industry site.

 

 

Toll:  Does that make me a part of the industry Dennis?

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

He does of course keep alelging that this is an industry run site despite that the ESA themselves recently slammed the site for recent criticism.

kueisu7885

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

True, that's entirely possible, but I've never really understood what he hoped to gain from it, especially in court filings. If it came to point of evidence, it would become apparent very very quickly that the site was not affiliated with the Industry itself, but with an independant Consumer Group.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

He's hoping to somehow spin-doctor the whole thing to get support.  One thing Jack never realized when he began down this path was that video gamers, as a whole, are a lot more intelligent than the yokels out in Florida (no offense to GP Floridians) when he took on local DJs for their shock jock tactics.

Claiming he pushed Howard Stern off terrestial radio is... well... a very microscopic feather in his cap, if he truly deserves any of the credit.  Stern's been assailed on all fronts by people by far smoother than Thompson.  And considering the fact the deal Stern has regarding his past and future shows and the pay he gets from Sirius... yeah.

Jack may be able to pull the strings of the concerned Christian Bible Thumper group... but you need to be a suavier bastard than that to work on the level he's been attempting to.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Always wondered about that, how pushing a DJ into a higher salary, broadcasting to a wider audience was a 'victory'...

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Next up, Jack gets "a visit" by the men in white coats!

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Throw him in Jail.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

If I stood in the middle of a courthouse and shouted 'I see the only way I'm going to get Justice is to fly a plane into the building', what would the odds be of me walking out of it again? I'd be so tazed that you could use me to light the damn courtroom for a week.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

100%

 

in cuffs and being escorted by... maybe the feds at least...?

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Actually, the chances are, I'd be carried out, probably looking like Emperor Palpatine after he forgot to turn off his force powers before climbing into a bath...

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

"We find yesterday that enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point...

 

I demand a hearing."

 

Oh...my...God. I find this quote very offensive and very disturbing.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

HAHAHAHAHAHA! *HUFF* HUFF* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! This is fucking priceless! I keep saying to myself "there's no way he could fuck up any worse" and POOF! He does this! BRAVO!

-If shit and bricks were candy and tits, we'd all be livin' large. For information on games and psychology, look up:

Jonathan Freedman (2002)

Block and Crain (2007)

Grand Theft Childhood, a book by Harvard Medical School researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson

Reality/////////////////////////////////////Fantasy. Seems like a pretty thick line to me...

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

"I have never threatened anyone in my entire life"

LIAR.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

First time I read that quote, I called B.S. because he threatened me with criminal charges when he and I had our little "e-mail conversation." My good friend here, whose name shall not be given, to keep him anonymous (this IS the Internet, folks).

??????: Hey, GP guys! I'm *SNIP*, and I know Shadow is telling the truth. I saw it with my own two eyes!

SHADOW DARKMAN: I SAID his neame shall not be given.

I AM A LOST SOUL, CONDEMNED TO HAUNT THE DREAMS OF JOHN BRUCE "JACK" THOMPSON UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS. SOMEONE, PLEASE! END MY SUFFERING!



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I AM DOOMED TO HAUNT JACK THOMPSON'S DREAMS UNTIL HIS CRUSADE AGAINST VIDEO GAMES ENDS.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Did he just use 9/11 to help benefit his own sorry self?

I think the family members of those 3,000 people who died would love to hear him said that same exact thing infront of them.

Just when you think this guy can't go any lower he finds a way to somehow boggle my mind. 

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Well heck, after using the atomic bombing of Hiroshima ... it's really not that far of a leap, to use 9/11 too.  And certainly, entirely within Mr. Thompson's character.  (Or should I say, lack thereof?)

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

He's also used the Holocaust so no it isn't a stretch at all.

 

 

Take some responsibility for your actions!

It sounds like you're the ignorant one here. Never threatened anyone, huh? That's a good one.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

''I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point... ''

 

uh and that isnt a threatening thing to say?

wtf? thats seriously a wierd thing to say especially with the "...." at the end...

Either it is meant to be threatening, or, equally believable its just INCERDIBLY stupid to say such a thing to a member of the justice department... and in WRITING too.. i mean come on JT you are aleady getting disbarred, but you wont settle untill you totally anhihillate yourself into oblivion. I mean i really dont like you, but this is taking it too far. ITs like watching a train wreck about to happen. 

Somebody call the authorities, because JT's mental health is SERIOUSLY cause for concern.  

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Actually in fairness, even the most jaded public servant would typically take the Guantanamo and killing 3000 as just a nut job blowing off steam.

But this combined with it...?

"We find yesterday that enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process
from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my “mistake” was not killing 3000
people to make my point
. Maybe I need to be placed at Guantanamo in order to get a
hearing on something.
I’ll let you know about efforts in that regard. I’m sure Judge
Jordan can oblige."

That second line makes it a direct threat pointed at a judge. That moves it from hot headed moron into high probability of dangerous person. "I'll let you know about efforts in that regard"

The man SHOULD have been locked up. The Marshalls were way too nice to him.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Well, in all fairness, the '...' was added by Dennis, since the sentence continues from that point, he suggests he should be thrown in Guantanamo prison.

Considering the place is allegedly for holding enemies of the United States and what it stands for, I think he may be on to something.

Concerned

After Jack Thompson said,"

We find yesterday that enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point...

 

I demand a hearing.

 

How long till he goes on a killing spree and blames it on video games?

Re: Concerned

I bet he's hunkered down with a copy of GTA4, right now.  Go on, Jack ... get trained by the blatant murder simulator ... that is it's purpose, right?  So, go ahead, give in ... surrender to the Dark Side ...

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Wait, I thought he wasn't allowed to file documents without another lawyer's signature on them? So is he just sending random letters formatted to LOOK like court filings now?

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

...that was a restriction placed on him by the Florida Supreme Court, a state court. These filings were with the U.S. District Court, a federal court. Although, after this, who knows what he'll be allowed to file...

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Ah! Thanks for the clarrification.  For some reason I was not making the connection.

Jack's letter

Jack, your letter makes it pretty obvious why the case was thrown out.  Your assertion that the LOYALTY Oath is mandated by the U.S. Constitution is a flat out FALSEHOOD.  There's an OATH OF OFFICE in the U.S. Constitution, but the State of Florida has the Loyalty Oath law.  There's a huge difference.  If you don't realize this, you have no right to call yourself a lawyer.

Jack, your lawsuits, when based on faulty law research or flat out lies and falsehoods, are going to get tossed before there's even a hearing.  To actually have a hearing when your arguments in your case are nothing but rubbish is nothing but a waste of the court's time.  I'd love to read the judge's dismissal of the suit.  I have a feeling it wasn't tossed for "no reason."  You have a propensity for leaving out small details that you simply don't want to hear.  So, yes, the Loyalty Oath problem IS a State of Florida issue that needs to be resolved in the State of Florida.  I guess you might need a lawyer to sign any complaints headed to the SCOFLA, seeing as how they're not taking your mail.

Oh, and with the comment about murdering 3000 people?  Judge Moreno had every right and a responsibility to send U.S. Marshalls to your house.  That's the not-so-polite way of telling you to grow the fuck up.

Your assertion that the judges are all now conspiring against you?  LOL...time to get back on your meds.

And, Jack, you've never physically threatened anybody before?  Didn't you have a restraining order taken out against you for allegedly trying to run them off the road?

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

I have been asking the Justice Department simply to meet with me about [the video game industry's] criminal targeting of me for harm...  Our US Attorney here has obstructed that effort... Instead of being afforded the Justice Department investigation to which I am entitled, I get today harassment from that same Justice Department...

 

Hmm, same old hypocrisy and paranoia....

THEY TOLD ME TO DELIVER IT TO YOU.

Speaking of which, just what was he trying to deliver?  If he was serving them some papers(i.e. I'm suing you), then again he fails it as a lawyer for not using a independent 3rd party/courier service.

In fact, I have never threatened anyone in my entire life, and you know that, and the Marshals said they knew that.

Oh yeah, and things like saying the places would look like a bomb had gone off --if you didn't get your way-- isn't one if you put "figuratively speaking" in there....  And I'm not going to bother digging up other such examples.

Didn't Thompson get charged with stalking someone?  I wouldn't be surprised if this is all really about the judge being constantly HARSSED by Jack then the judge trying to intimidate or harass Jack(lol, the irony)...

 

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Ugh, back to the good old text editor, it seemed to have copied different fonts from Word(when they were all the same in word....), and again the stupid thing added a extra return where I didn't want it.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

That was seriously awesome "ransom note mode".  I fully expect Jack Thompson's filings to look like this in the future.

 

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Mind you, I wouldn't want to be Harssed by Jack, that sounds painful ;)

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Doh again, firefox's spell check doesn't like the rich text editor either, and at times will miss stuff already typed when you turn it on....

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

Jack Thompson doesn't need to threaten. He actually kills! Remember that poor fax machine that JT did in? Oh the horror

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

All fax machines should rise up and charge Jack Thompson for multiple counts of murder. Jack, I thought you were bad enough will your immature attitude and questionable behavior, but killing these poor fax machines is simply too far.

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

mystery solved!

岩「…Ace beats Jack」

岩「…I can see why Hasselbeck's worried about fake guns killing fake people. afterall, she's a fake journalist on a fake news channel」

Re: BREAKING: U.S. Marshals Pay Jack Thompson "a Visit"

'I guess my "mistake: was not killing 3000 people to make my point...'

Good grief.... and he calls Gamers phsychopaths??

 
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