The Canis/Bully legal debacle continues today with 'campaigning', US attorney, Jack Thompson, kindly taking more time out of his busy schedule to email SPOnG. Here, in his own inimitable style, is what Jack let us know:
Thompson goes on to claim that, “The court ordered production of the game by tomorrow at 3PM, for his full review of the game while it is being played, up to or more than 100 hours…This is unprecedented and reasonable as well. This is a huge victory against the violent video game industry, regardless of the ultimate ruling on the injunction. I anticipate an immediate appeal to the Third DCA by Take-Two.”
Now, aside from the many free speech implications and the waste of US taxpayer’s money involved in this (a Florida Judge can be paid upto $146,874 per annum, which means 100 hours of playing Bully costs the state approximately $8345.11 if we allow him a five-day working week and eight weeks of holidays...) there are some seriously bizarre things going down in the Miami-Dade Court today.
It also seems, according to Kotaku’s Brian Crecente, that Jack maybe slightly disingenuous about what went down in the courtroom yesterday, with one of the court’s clerks telling them: “The judge did not order the review of the game, but Take-Two offered to bring the game in on Thursday at 3PM so he could see for himself what all of the noise is about.”
So it seems that a Rockstar employee is heading over to Miami-Dade later today to hang out and play Bully, potentially all the way through, which may well take a good couple of weeks of his and the (lucky) Circuit Court Judge Ronald Friedman's time.
Game Politics confirmed that, “...the ruling is unprecedented, although in the long run it’s really not a win if it gets overturned on appeal…the judge will view the game in chambers… and is prepared to spend several days watching its content”.
Perhaps the funniest story to come out of this whole sad waste of time and money has been reported over on Destructoid, which tells us that, “The other notable highlight of the session did come from Mr. Thompson, who produced a gigantic home made industrial strength wooden slingshot that looked capable of exploding somebody’s head in half with the right projectile. It was made of wood and rubber, so he was able to sneak it past metal detectors unnoticed which even took the judge by surprise. It was a moment right out of Court TV, but an effective one. If there was (sic) any chuckles that a slingshot could be a lethal weapon, they were silenced.”
“I just won round one in the court fight here over bully. the judge ordered take-two to produce the game within 24 hours so he can have it played before him, for a hundred hours if necessary. looks like Spong is not quite as smart as it thinks it is. Hooah!”
Thompson goes on to claim that, “The court ordered production of the game by tomorrow at 3PM, for his full review of the game while it is being played, up to or more than 100 hours…This is unprecedented and reasonable as well. This is a huge victory against the violent video game industry, regardless of the ultimate ruling on the injunction. I anticipate an immediate appeal to the Third DCA by Take-Two.”
Now, aside from the many free speech implications and the waste of US taxpayer’s money involved in this (a Florida Judge can be paid upto $146,874 per annum, which means 100 hours of playing Bully costs the state approximately $8345.11 if we allow him a five-day working week and eight weeks of holidays...) there are some seriously bizarre things going down in the Miami-Dade Court today.
It also seems, according to Kotaku’s Brian Crecente, that Jack maybe slightly disingenuous about what went down in the courtroom yesterday, with one of the court’s clerks telling them: “The judge did not order the review of the game, but Take-Two offered to bring the game in on Thursday at 3PM so he could see for himself what all of the noise is about.”
So it seems that a Rockstar employee is heading over to Miami-Dade later today to hang out and play Bully, potentially all the way through, which may well take a good couple of weeks of his and the (lucky) Circuit Court Judge Ronald Friedman's time.
Game Politics confirmed that, “...the ruling is unprecedented, although in the long run it’s really not a win if it gets overturned on appeal…the judge will view the game in chambers… and is prepared to spend several days watching its content”.
Perhaps the funniest story to come out of this whole sad waste of time and money has been reported over on Destructoid, which tells us that, “The other notable highlight of the session did come from Mr. Thompson, who produced a gigantic home made industrial strength wooden slingshot that looked capable of exploding somebody’s head in half with the right projectile. It was made of wood and rubber, so he was able to sneak it past metal detectors unnoticed which even took the judge by surprise. It was a moment right out of Court TV, but an effective one. If there was (sic) any chuckles that a slingshot could be a lethal weapon, they were silenced.”
Read More Like This
Comments
Joji 12 Oct 2006 12:58
1/7
Looks like Rockstar will get their day in court. JT doesn't care if taxpayers money is wasted. He just wants the chance to erect a cross and nail Rockstar to it.
I can see the judge enjoying this game, that he/she might not want to give it back. Good luck Rockstar.
I can see the judge enjoying this game, that he/she might not want to give it back. Good luck Rockstar.
YenRug 12 Oct 2006 13:29
2/7
What happens if the judge decides that JT's charges are without merit and, in reality, completely frivolous? Could he be found in contempt of court/charged with wasting the court's time?
more comments below our sponsor's message
Johnhl 12 Oct 2006 16:55
3/7
The whole case is a stupid waste of time and money but aleast if the judge plays the game he'll figure that out and thompson will have a harder time doing stuff like this in the future.
Happydwarf 13 Oct 2006 11:41
4/7
Fair play get the state to do all the advertising costs. All JT is doing is pushing the game further into the public eye. If he'd just shut his mouth the game would be released and the people who are into games would buy it (being over 15 of course) but no now every one will want a look. Idiot!!!!
realvictory 13 Oct 2006 13:13
5/7
It's only a game, isn't it? If people take it seriously, that's because they're stupid.
He should try suing movie companies for being a bad influence on children. In that industry, if they have a 15 or 18 rating, that's that - they're not pretending to be suitable for children, so they're not doing anything wrong.
He should try suing movie companies for being a bad influence on children. In that industry, if they have a 15 or 18 rating, that's that - they're not pretending to be suitable for children, so they're not doing anything wrong.
jordanlund 13 Oct 2006 23:41
6/7
It's over. The Judge saw 2 hours worth of footage and said the game was no different from prime time television.
Jack, naturally, wigged out.
Link:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061013-7985.html
Jack - if you're reading this - I only want an answer to one question. If video games cause violence then why do we have the lowest crime rate in 40 years?
Jack, naturally, wigged out.
Link:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061013-7985.html
Jack - if you're reading this - I only want an answer to one question. If video games cause violence then why do we have the lowest crime rate in 40 years?
Adrian A. Chrome 15 Oct 2006 22:22
7/7
jordanlund wrote:
Jack - if you're reading this - I only want an answer to one question. If video games cause violence then why do we have the lowest crime rate in 40 years?
May I suggest that you read Freakonomics for an answer to that question.