Murder Victim's Parents Condemn Manhunt 2
Announcement made in anniversary month of son's death
The parents of Stefan Pakeerah, who believe Manhunt inspired the murder of their son, have condemned the release of Manhunt 2. The announcement, they said, has come in the same month as the anniversary of their son's death.
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury Giselle Pakeerah said: "It is an insult to my son's memory that they have announced this game in the month we will be marking this anniversary."
She went on to condemn violent games, saying:
Anti-gaming crusader Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, was quick to support the Pakeerahs, stating: "It is contempt for those who are trying very hard to ensure something is done to control the violent nature of these games."
Commenting on yesterday's announcement Rockstar told gaming industry magazine MCV:
The 'individuals' mentioned believe that LeBlanc was obsessed with Manhunt and that playing it prompted him to kill Pakeerah.
The trailer for the Manhunt 2 can be found here. For more information head over to SPOnG's dedicated page.
Speaking to the Leicester Mercury Giselle Pakeerah said: "It is an insult to my son's memory that they have announced this game in the month we will be marking this anniversary."
She went on to condemn violent games, saying:
"These game moguls are making a lot of money out of games which are morally indecent. Why do they have to pump more violence into society?
"I am still in pain from losing my son. I hope I have raised awareness of this issue and some changes have been made, but there is still a lot to be done."
"I am still in pain from losing my son. I hope I have raised awareness of this issue and some changes have been made, but there is still a lot to be done."
Anti-gaming crusader Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, was quick to support the Pakeerahs, stating: "It is contempt for those who are trying very hard to ensure something is done to control the violent nature of these games."
Commenting on yesterday's announcement Rockstar told gaming industry magazine MCV:
"We are aware that in direct contradiction to all available evidence, certain individuals continue to link the original Manhunt title to the Warren Leblanc [the boy found guilty of murdering Stefan Pakeerah] case in 2004. The transcript of the court case makes it quite clear what really happened. At sentencing the Judge, defence, prosecution and Leicester police all emphasised that Manhunt played no part in the case."
The 'individuals' mentioned believe that LeBlanc was obsessed with Manhunt and that playing it prompted him to kill Pakeerah.
The trailer for the Manhunt 2 can be found here. For more information head over to SPOnG's dedicated page.
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Comments
zoydwheeler 8 Feb 2007 16:55
1/5
worth checking the comments at the end of the Leicester Mercury piece
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132935&command=displayContent&sourceNode=132702&contentPK=16600074&folderPk=77465&pNodeId=132393
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132935&command=displayContent&sourceNode=132702&contentPK=16600074&folderPk=77465&pNodeId=132393
jordanlund 9 Feb 2007 00:22
2/5
For those who don't remember... it turned out that the VICTIM was the Manhunter addict, not the killer.
DOH! He should have been able to better defend himself!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/04/manhunt_murder_claim/
However, today it emerged that Leicestershire police found the game in Pakeerah's room, not LeBlanc's, GamesIndustry.biz reports.
"The video game was not found in Warren LeBlanc's room, it was found in Stefan Pakeerah's room," a police spokesperson said today. "Leicestershire Constabulary stands by its response that police investigations did not uncover any connections to the video game, the motive for the incident was robbery."
Police believe LeBlanc murdered Pakeerah, whom he knew, to obtain money to pay back a drug-related debt.
DOH! He should have been able to better defend himself!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/04/manhunt_murder_claim/
However, today it emerged that Leicestershire police found the game in Pakeerah's room, not LeBlanc's, GamesIndustry.biz reports.
"The video game was not found in Warren LeBlanc's room, it was found in Stefan Pakeerah's room," a police spokesperson said today. "Leicestershire Constabulary stands by its response that police investigations did not uncover any connections to the video game, the motive for the incident was robbery."
Police believe LeBlanc murdered Pakeerah, whom he knew, to obtain money to pay back a drug-related debt.
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PreciousRoi 9 Feb 2007 04:40
3/5
shouldn't the parents at least PLAY Manhunt 2 before they condemn it?
config 9 Feb 2007 09:28
4/5
Play it? They haven't even so much as seen it and they've all got their knickers in a twist.
Kinda reminds my of Florida attorney, Jack Tampon's tirade over "Columbine simulator" Bully - before he'd even sneaked a peek at the game.
That was Bully, a game that turned out to be no more a "Columbine Simulator" that Cross Stitch Weekly is The Murderer's Handbook.
The first game was appallingly poor and mindlessly violent, but who knows? If they inject a shred of workable gameplay into Manhunt 2, it might actually be good without simply being about stoving people's heads in.
Kinda reminds my of Florida attorney, Jack Tampon's tirade over "Columbine simulator" Bully - before he'd even sneaked a peek at the game.
That was Bully, a game that turned out to be no more a "Columbine Simulator" that Cross Stitch Weekly is The Murderer's Handbook.
The first game was appallingly poor and mindlessly violent, but who knows? If they inject a shred of workable gameplay into Manhunt 2, it might actually be good without simply being about stoving people's heads in.
PreciousRoi 9 Feb 2007 10:19
5/5
If the facts of the case stand as they appear to be, these people are actually MORE off base than Jerk. They should be condemning real-life violence and the drugs that led to it, not cuddling up to this Vaz fellow. Maybe they didn't like their son playing Manhunt, maybe they saw him playing it and the casual, hyper-realistic violence appalled them, maybe its easier for them to vent againt a video game than a real person. But sheesh, get a clue...course I'm sure theres plenty of people nodding sagely and shaking their heads at the obvious (some people on the tele whose poor son got kilt said so) effects of video game violence on society
aww it wasn't that bad, I thought it great fun...
as to mindlessly violent...I'm not sure it was that much more violent than many other games, and the rationale for the plot of the game was sound enough for me...which was basically an excuse for loads of stealth kills and improvised weapons, but the violence was no more mindless than much of what I've seen in (bad) action movies, less so than many.
The one thing that makes Manhunt stick in certain peoples minds as being exceptional is that the game mechanic appears to be based directly on violence, rather than the violence being a means to an end. This is merely an illusion of the plot, such as it is. The object of the game is to escape, violence being the means. Pretty much bogstandard, actually. So what if I used a rusty bit of wire or a plastic bag instead of martial arts or a combat knife? Or a nail gun rather than a silenced Walther PPK or somesuch?
Much ado about nothing if you ask me...More ink for R*...
aww it wasn't that bad, I thought it great fun...
as to mindlessly violent...I'm not sure it was that much more violent than many other games, and the rationale for the plot of the game was sound enough for me...which was basically an excuse for loads of stealth kills and improvised weapons, but the violence was no more mindless than much of what I've seen in (bad) action movies, less so than many.
The one thing that makes Manhunt stick in certain peoples minds as being exceptional is that the game mechanic appears to be based directly on violence, rather than the violence being a means to an end. This is merely an illusion of the plot, such as it is. The object of the game is to escape, violence being the means. Pretty much bogstandard, actually. So what if I used a rusty bit of wire or a plastic bag instead of martial arts or a combat knife? Or a nail gun rather than a silenced Walther PPK or somesuch?
Much ado about nothing if you ask me...More ink for R*...