Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

September 26, 2008

Yesterday the Florida Supreme Court permanently disbarred Jack Thompson. Barring an unlikley reversal, the 56-year-old attorney will be stripped of his license to practice law in 30 days.

How did things get this far? GamePolitics, which has covered Thompson extensively since the site went live in 2005, has compiled a timeline of key events during that time:

November 18, 2005: Thompson is lead attorney in a $600 million dollar lawsuit against Take-Two, Rockstar, Sony, GameStop and Wal-mart which alleges that 18-year-old GTA player Devin Moore was influenced by the games when he killed two police officers and a police dispatcher in Fayette, Alabama. Following a motion by Take-Two's lawyers, Alabama Judge James Moore revokes Thompson's right to practice in Alabama, essentially throwing him off the GTA case. Moore will later file a Bar complaint against Thompson over his conduct and be a key witness at his Bar trial.

October 13, 2006: Miami Judge Ronald Friedman dismisses Thompson's bid to have Bully declared a public nuisance. Friedman will later file a Bar complaint against Thompson over his conduct and will also testify at his Bar trial.

October 22, 2006: Thompson announces he is running for Judge Friedman's seat on the bench. However, he never follows through.

January 23, 2007: Thompson calls for the impeachment of Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff after Shurtleff advises Utah legislators that the Thompson-authored video game law they are considering is unconstitutional.

March 16, 2007: Thompson is sued by Take-Two Interactive. The publisher seeks to block Thompson from damaging future sales of Manhunt 2 and GTA IV. A month later, the parties will reach a settlement.

April 10, 2007: In a harshly-worded ruling, U.S. District Court Judge James Brady declares Louisiana's video game law unconstitutional. Thompson, who wrote the legislation, has blamed Louisiana officials for its failure.

April 16, 2007: While the Virginia Tech shooting rampage is still ongoing, Thompson appears on Fox News to assert a violent video game connection. Later, a blue ribbon panel will find no evidence that the killer played violent games.

June 14, 2007: GamePolitics reveals that Thompson met secretly with Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick in Manhattan shortly after Zelnick took control of the company.

August 3, 2007: Thompson writes in a court filing that he is experiencing cardiac arrhythmia as well as chest pains due to the stress of his campaign against the Florida Bar.

August 21, 2007: Thompson claims that he underwent a psychological evaluation at his own expense and was pronounced mentally fit.

September 21, 2007: Thompson seeks to have Halo 3 declared a public nuisance in Florida

September 26, 2007: U.S. District Court Judge Adalberto Jordan reprimands Thompson for including gay porn in a court filing.

October 3, 2007: Thompson tries to add Judge Adalberto Jordan as a defendant in a case against the Florida Bar over which Jordan is presiding.

November 3, 2007: Thompson debates game developer Lorne Lanning at vgXpo in Philadelphia.

November 16, 2007: Thompson tries (and fails) to get GamePolitics & the Entertainment Consumers Association added as defedants in one of his numerous federal lawsuits against the Florida Bar.

November 26, 2007: Thompson's Florida Bar ethics trial commences in Miami with Judge Dava Tunis presiding. It will last nine days.

December 18, 2007: Thompson's $600 million New Mexico lawsuit which attempted to draw a link between GTA and a grisly triple murder is thrown out by a judge.

December 28, 2007: Trying to prove a video game connection, Thompson sues the Omaha Police Dept. for records of mall shooter Robert Hawkins.

March 7, 2008: Thompson circulates an e-mail which says that the Florida Bar will look like a bombed-out building if the Florida Supreme Court files an order against him.

March 18, 2008: GamePolitics begins serializing transcripts of testimony from Thompson's November, 2007 Bar trial.

March 19, 2008: Thompson threatens legal action against GamePolitics for publishing the Bar trial transcripts, which are a matter of public record. Despite the threats, the series continues.

March 20, 2008: Florida Supreme Court informs Thompson that, due to submitting porn and other inappropriate filings, the Court will no longer accept any filings from him unless another attorney signs off.

April 9, 2008: Thompson complains in a court filing that the FBI will no longer take his calls.

April 26, 2008: Thompson persuades officials of Miami-Dade Transit to remove GTA IV ads from bus kiosks

May 20, 2008: Judge Tunis finds Thompson guilty of 27 of 31 ethical misconduct charges

May 26, 2008: Thompson tells a Florida radio show host that he has plans to run for the Florida legislature.

May 30, 2008: Thompson swears in a federal court filing that Judge Tunis leaked documents to GamePolitics. Actually, we got the documents from the court via public records request.

June 4, 2008: The Florida Bar recommends to Judge Tunis that Thompson be disbarred for 10 years. Thompson storms out of the hearing after Tunis refuses to let him read a statement in court.

June 16, 2008: Thompson alleges that a pair of U.S. Marshals visited him at his home.

July 2, 2008: Thompson is honored as winner of "America's Freedom Award" at America's Freedom Festival in conservative Provo, Utah.

July 9, 2008: Thompson alleges that he was barred by U.S. Marshals from entering the U.S. District Court building in Miami alone. An officer escorted him to his destination. Thompson sues over the incident.

July 9, 2008: Citing both his ethical misconduct and his behavior during his Florida Bar proceedings, Judge Tunis one-ups the Florida Bar by ignoring its recommendation for 10-year disbarment and instead recommends a permanment disbarment for Thompson.

September 25, 2008: Florida Supreme Court orders Thompson permanently disbarred, effective October 30th, 2008.

Comments

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Hit the road Jack and don'cha come back no more no more no more no more!

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

since everyone else is linking youtube videos for song requests, i'll do the same, but be a little different

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55iPekZOOUE

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

And that's to say nothing of his past crusades against 2 Live Crew and Janet Reno.  (I wonder if they've heard yet?)

---
The Mammon Industry

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

They probably wrote him off a long time ago and could care less at this point.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

I forgot that it is pirate day!!!!

Arg that Thompson, no longer pillaging my treasures, arrrr.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Avast ye landlubber that day be last week not now. Go back to ye port and hang your head in shame ye miserable sea dog for forgetting the grreatest holiday ever. Arrr!

Remember remember the 25th of September. Twas the day Jack Thompson be disbarred (although he still be a lawyer till October).

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Remember remember the 25th of september. The day jack thompson was disbarred. FOREVER.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

And you can go with him for talking like that when it's not I.T.L.A.P.D.

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

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

What's wrong with talking like a pirate?

Remember remember the 25th of September. Twas the day Jack Thompson was disbarred.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

:: gasps for air::

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Nice to see he finally got what was coming to him

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line
YES!!!!!

Finally the day has come.

End of the road Jack.

Hope you have learned a few lessons allong the way

And any time you go on a news station, Us Gamers will tell the audience of your disbarment and you will lose your arguments on TV.

Also on a personal note, you need to be a family man and raise your OWN children. Stop trying to raise others and using your own religious beliefs as ammunition against those who are different than you.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Looking at the timeline, you can really notice how desperate he was getting for a breakthrough...

 

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

I've been coming here since the Live Journal days and Jack Thompson's always been a loon. But to see the events (well, not all events. Remember when he threw a fit over GP's Influential People poll? XD) listed all at once...my god.

Dennis,

Would you ever consider linking to your posts that come up in the timeline? Granted, one could do a search...but it's just a thought :)

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Ahh yeah the good ol'Livejournal days where Jack made over 50 different accounts due to all his bannings from to the messages he was posting. Good times...

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

This is awesome!  It only took 20 years to disbar him though...

--- Official Protector of Videoland!

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Jack repeat after me, "Welcome to McDonald's, may I take your order?"

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

[img]http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e303/hilaryduffgta/duff2.jpg[/img]

 

 

 

Lmao *grabs sides from laughing too hard* oh damn i read about this last night on x play and a huge smile went across my face..Personally i'm glad to see him gone for good and hopefully this will help get this anti gaming crap out of the way and maybe have people look into some real issues and get off games already...

 

 

hey Jack bring me a number 2 supersize will ya

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

My Birthday is October 31st

 

Best Birthday I ever had!!!

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Maybe an up and down time line so we can see him truly hitting rock bottom?

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

ROFL!!!  That is the best news I've heard about Whack Thompson since he  submitted gay porn pics.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Has anyone applied Rule 34 yet to that pic he sent a few weeks back when Ike hit? If not, HURRY UP!!! I NEED MY 1U1Z!!!

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

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

thats just sick lol

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

I am supprised that Jack has yet to respond accusing Dennis of "deliberatly leaving out important facts" like his 60 Minutes interview

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

July 9, 2008: Citing both his ethical misconduct and his behavior during his Florida Bar proceedings, Judge Tunis one-ups the Florida Bar by ignoring its recommendation for 10-year disbarment and instead recommends a permanment disbarment for Thompson.

 

Love that line the most

but seriously.. we all know the Bar was jsut being nice to thompson and taht a 10 year ban was almost equivalent to a perma ban...

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

"Thompson storms out of the hearing after Tunis refuses to let him read a statement in court."

I don't think the phrasing in this statement is particularly accurate. Having heard a recording of this particular event, it sounds to me like Jack Thompson walked out of the courtroom very calmly and deliberately (and stupidly). I would also disagree with the implication that Tunis refusing to let him read a statement in court was what prompted it. The impression I got was that he planned to walk out ahead of time because Tunis was *rolls eyes* not a real judge.

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Eitherway Thompson is still a ***********

Re: Jack Thompson: Disbarment Time Line

Well of course. I heard the recording as well, and it does seem he planned it out to walk out of court. In fact he told us that he was going to, or at least boycott the hearing. All because of, yep, the Judge was not 'real' because of the whole loyalty oath ("If the commies invade, I'll fight them on the beaches...") and the fact, at the 11th hour AFTER THE BAR PROCEEDINGS HAVE PASSED he wanted to bring 30 or more witnesses to testify for him. AFTER THE BLOODING TRIAL. Tunis plain well knew what his crap was all about and refused to let him move his podium to face the audience and address them as though it were a news conference. He whined and bitched about it, and she remained rather calm throughout it (Dava Tunis rocks). Then he in a surprisingly calm, yet douche-baggish tone, told her in an arrogant tone that he was leaving....which really backfired for him, since in your own disciplinary hearing...walking out is REALLY REALLY BAD and leaves you up to any judgement they pass on you, and you can't really appeal it whatsoever.

Over all it was one of the dumbest moves Jack could ever make.

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 11/07/09 at 10:11am
JDKJ: @chada: And while Kennedy once noted that there's usually more than enough blame for everyone to get a slice, the possibility that the Army was unwilling to cut loose someone who was asking to get cut loose could be a factor.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:07am
ZippyDSMlee: *noms on his feet*..nomnomnomnom*droooll* ...wuuutttttt uuu looking at?
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:05am
JDKJ: I'm no psychologist, but I'm told that crazy people have a tendency to do crazy things.
Posted 11/07/09 at 10:03am
chadachada321: Whoops, was out of the convo for awhile. I do wonder what type of ammo he used etc, but the real issue is WHY he did it, not HOW
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:56am
JDKJ: But if it turns out that they actually did, they'll have Hell to pay.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:45am
JDKJ: And I'd tend to rule out the possibilty of FN Herstal supplying restricted ammunition to someone merely because they're ordering it from a military base.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:37am
JDKJ: I know you don't leave your gated community and get around much in dark alleys, so you may be surprised to learn that there's this thing called "the black market" where, if you've got enough money, ain't too much of anything which can't be bought.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:36am
Austin_Lewis: Or, maybe he or someone else at the base ordered the SS190 from FN Herstal.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:32am
Austin_Lewis: the hands of private owners. They run about 300 dollars minimum for a box of 50, and boxes of AP 5.7 are extremely scarce, mainly residing in the hands of Class III stores or individuals who for one reason or another got a demo box of it.
Posted 11/07/09 at 09:30am
Austin_Lewis: There are other firearms that fire the 5.7. However, I too would like to know where he got the ammo and what kind was used. Maybe Hasan, planning not to live through this, went out and bought one the boxes of SS190 that are floating around in
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:44am
JDKJ: And it isn't yet clear what type of ammunition Hasan used. It's strange that he purchased a gun but didn't purchase ammunition for it at the same place and time. Especially because the calibre required is peculiar to the actual gun.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:40am
JDKJ: We can sit here all day and debate the relative merits. However, I think the events of recent days suggest that an FN Five-Seven ain't exactly the same as that Daisy BB gun you got for Christmas when you were a kid.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:38am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: tumbling can be quite dangerous. However, the rounds that commonly tumbled were variants of the SS90. Civilian ammo tends to tumble far less commonly.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:33am
JDKJ: I understand that while they don't have much expansion effect, they tend to "yaw" on impact. Yaw can be almost just as damaging as mushrooming.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:30am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: Except when one considers the lack of expansion for the 5.7, it basically ends up leaving a far smaller hole.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:29am
JDKJ: But if the latter's travelling at close to twice the speed of the former, there's a compensatory effect on the weight difference.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:27am
Austin_Lewis: And of course, having nothing pass through or into one's brain is always the preferrable outcome.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:26am
Austin_Lewis: For comparison, commonly available 9mm run from 115 to 147 grains. 5.7s run between 28 and 40 grains.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:24am
JDKJ: Again, I'd rather not have any foreign objects either lodge in or pass through my brain, thank you very much.
Posted 11/07/09 at 08:22am
Austin_Lewis: JDKJ: Better than a larger projectile expanding as it lodges itself in one's brain.
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