17 replies to this topic

[IMG News]

Gamespot recently posted an article stating that a verdict as been reached in an ongoing legal battle over video game violence. The Devin Moore trial has been quite possibly the largest trial involving video game violence.

Back in 2003, the defendant Devin Moore was arrested for stealing a car, and while in police custody, grabbed and officer's gun and shot three police officers. Afterwards, Moore claimed that his deeds were inspired by the video game Grand Theft Auto III.

After the jury reached a verdict in August, last Friday the judge layed down the maximum penalty of lethal injection. From the Gamespot article:

Moore will be put to death by lethal injection. Defense attorney Jim Standridge will appeal the case. The victims' families have sued Take-Two Interactive (parent company of Rockstar), Sony, Wal-Mart, and GameStop for their parts in the manufacturing and selling of the game.

As video game violence has now come into the spotlight of mainstream media, the effects of cases such as this could have an impact on video games as a whole, even Mac games.

What do you think about video game violence? Post your comments by clicking the comment link above. To view the entire article, click the link below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[glenn42]

It seems to me that members of our society are, again, finding reasons not to take responsability for thier actions. In the 70's and 80's it was Dungeons and Dragons, then it was Magic:The Gathering, then it was video games. Hell, in the 50's it was Mickey Spillane. As usual people are looking for an excuse for lack of parenting or mental illness. If someone is going to go on a killing spree, chances are they will find something to blame it on. Video games are just an excuse.

As for the parents suing Take-Two and the others, well, they need to take a closer look at thier parenting skills. I am a teacher, parent, and video game player. My wife and I have 5 kids, the oldest who lives with us is 9. She will sit and watch while I play GTA III and a number of other violent video games. Am I afraid she is going to turn into a mad dog killer? No. Why? Because I sit with her and discuss what is going  on in the game, the difference between games and reality, why what she is seeing is wrong, and why she is not allowed to play games like that yet. It is called parenting. If parents buy these games for thier kids without being aware of what goes on in them (which is much more prevalent than you think), or take the time to talk to thier kids about the game, then they can only blame themselves. Using a video game as a babysitting tool is unconcionable. Parents need to take responsibility for the raising of thier children. Parents need to take responsibility for the moral development of thier children. Parents need to be willing to stand up and be parents.

[TalonComics]

Glenn, I totally agree.
Blaming any source of media for a person's behavior is insulting and ridiculous. I totally agree that children shouldn't be playing M-rated titles but that is the parental guardian's responsibility and not the company's, producer's or retailer who sold the game (as long as they card the purchaser.)

Blaming video games is an excuse. When you open that can of worms where does the blame stop? Books? Writers? God?

~D

[The iMac Man]

glenn42, on October 10th 2005, 10:41 AM, said:

As for the parents suing Take-Two and the others, well, they need to take a closer look at thier parenting skills.

While I agree with you completely, if you take a closer look, it's not the parents suing... it's the victims' families.

[glenn42]

The iMac Man, on October 10th 2005, 05:42 PM, said:

While I agree with you completely, if you take a closer look, it's not the parents suing... it's the victims' families.

Ah, sorry. I did indeed miss that part.

I also understand thier grief, but in the end, it is more finger pointing. Moore would have done it anyway...whether or not he played GTA III. Do the victims families truly believe that GTA III MADE him do it, or are they looking for blame and money? I don't know. Are they suing Glock or Smith and Wesson for making the guns? Are they suing the police department for what could be seen as insufficent training? Where does it end? But more importantly, where should it start?

[nagromme]

Of COURSE video game violence has an effect. For some people, a very very bad one.

Same goes for movies. TV. Books. Music.

Are you going to censor all forms of expression?

Here's a better idea: stop ignoring mental health in this country! It's REAL, and it's VITAL. Parents have a role in that for sure.

If you play a violent game and then imitate it, the game is not the problem--something is wrong with you. Something that went undetected or ignored.

That doesn't mean you are not at fault for your actions--it means there's a good chance they could have been prevented before a tragedy like this. But only with a different cultural view of mental health and mental illness. Don't sweep it under the carpet--take it seriously, starting with children.

(I won't get into public murder, aka death penalty. Thou Shalt Not Kill Unless You Are Very Angry Or Really Want To?)

[the Battle Cat]

The iMac Man, on October 10th 2005, 09:42 AM, said:

glenn42, on October 10th 2005, 07:41 AM, said:

It seems to me that members of our society are, again, finding reasons not to take responsability for thier actions. In the 70's and 80's it was Dungeons and Dragons, then it was Magic:The Gathering, then it was video games. Hell, in the 50's it was Mickey Spillane. As usual people are looking for an excuse for lack of parenting or mental illness. If someone is going to go on a killing spree, chances are they will find something to blame it on. Video games are just an excuse.

As for the parents suing Take-Two and the others, well, they need to take a closer look at thier parenting skills. I am a teacher, parent, and video game player. My wife and I have 5 kids, the oldest who lives with us is 9. She will sit and watch while I play GTA III and a number of other violent video games. Am I afraid she is going to turn into a mad dog killer? No. Why? Because I sit with her and discuss what is going  on in the game, the difference between games and reality, why what she is seeing is wrong, and why she is not allowed to play games like that yet. It is called parenting. If parents buy these games for thier kids without being aware of what goes on in them (which is much more prevalent than you think), or take the time to talk to thier kids about the game, then they can only blame themselves. Using a video game as a babysitting tool is unconcionable. Parents need to take responsibility for the raising of thier children. Parents need to take responsibility for the moral development of thier children. Parents need to be willing to stand up and be parents.

While I agree with you completely, if you take a closer look, it's not the parents suing... it's the victims' families.

Amen Brother glenn42, amen to your parenting comments.  

That vicious little bastard not only commited murder, his lame excuse that it was a video game that made him do it just piles on the hurt he is causing society in general.  He doesn't care who it hurts as long as he thinks it can help him get away with it.  That punk sounds like a real sociopath.  

Something that annoys me about the families of the victims.  If it was TRUE that the game was at fault and they have a case to sue the game company... why the hell didn't they drop the charges and let the "poor misguided youth" go free after they got him a little counseling?

[The iMac Man]

the Battle Cat, on October 10th 2005, 03:09 PM, said:

Something that annoys me about the families of the victims.  If it was TRUE that the game was at fault and they have a case to sue the game company... why the hell didn't they drop the charges and let the "poor misguided youth" go free after they got him a little counseling?

Exactly.

And, being that he was sentenced to death, that is the judge basically saying that the game ISN'T at fault... so, they have no law suit to go on.

They have to choose one or the other...  either the game was at fault, the kid walks, and they sue Take Two.  Or, it wasn't the game's fault, the kid fries, and they have no law suit.

[Belcarius]

Capital punishment is barbaric. That's all I have to say.

[wickedsteve]

Belcarius, on October 10th 2005, 04:15 PM, said:

Capital punishment is barbaric. That's all I have to say.

I disagree. Capital punishment is a great deterent in a civilized society for people who think they can get away with barbaric crimes.

[the Battle Cat]

Belcarius, on October 10th 2005, 03:15 PM, said:

Capital punishment is barbaric. That's all I have to say.

wickedsteve, on October 10th 2005, 04:09 PM, said:

I disagree. Capital punishment is a great deterent in a civilized society for people who think they can get away with barbaric crimes.

We aren't going to settle any of societies woes in this thread.  Please, lets try to focus on the details of the story itself rather than becoming sidetracked with the peripheral issues surrounding it.

[Frost]

"It is by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of a human life that we affirm the highest value of human life." -- Edward Koch

I think that says it all.

That said, I guarantee you I played a good deal more GTA III than this kid did. And I played GTA: Vice City for a long time after that as well. I'm not in the news for murdering people because GTA altered or destroyed my system of values and morals and caused me to go and murder everyone at Wal Mart one night. It's not my age either, I'm all of two years older than he is. What am I doing? Well, I'm half way to my degree and a stint with the U.S. Air Force after that. Not half way through sentencing and on my way to prison to await execution.

He's responsible for his own actions and he gets what he deserves. This blaming Take Two, Sony, Wal Mart, the President, his grandmother, his community association, Santa Claus, or whoever else is just stupid.

[Dark_Archon]

IMG News, on October 10th 2005, 10:26 AM, said:

Back in 2003, the defendant Devin Moore was arrested for stealing a car, and while in police custody, grabbed and officer's gun and shot three police officers. Afterwards, Moore claimed that his deeds were inspired by the video game Grand Theft Auto III.

I'm against the death penalty, but I think it was good that he was convicted and charged to the full extent of the law, and they didn't let his blaming his crime on a video game get in the way.

I agree with TalonComics. Blaming things like books for problems has never led to anything good.

I just hope all this lets blame everything else for our problems bullpopsnizzle stops before it escalates into lets blame ethnic groups for our problems. This kind of thing has happened before, and when you stop taking responsibility for your actions, and your problems, where does it stop?

[BBUCK]

But is placing the blame on someone else just a natural human instinct?  Everybody does it.

"I only failed that test because the teacher sucks.  I only failed that test because it was poorly written.  I only failed that test because I didn't have time to study"

It's part of being human.  The real question is how did blame placing reach the level of ridiculousness it's achieved now?  Furthermore, how can society stop this kind of thing?

[Blackshawk]

Quote

Capital punishment is barbaric. That's all I have to say.

Don't wanna die? Don't kill anybody. Why should society bear the cost of keeping that freak alive for the next seventy or eighty years?

[Nookster]

We all know that this litigious merry-go-round has got legs. Another atrocity, another franchise, and repeat.

Too many Baby Boomers and early Gen-X'ers are still unable to digest the notion that video gaming is not synonymous with children's pastimes. Show this mindset A GTA carjack, an MK fatality, (or a Manhunt anything) and it all goes off.

However, as they are gradually replaced by people born in the seventies and eighties, people who have grown up with video gaming, attitudes will begin to shift. Gaming will eventually be recognised as a media for all ages, and join it's place beside music, film, television, art, and literature.

Of course, this won't stop people suing an individual title (and probably never will), but it will inhibit generalised slurs on the entire culture.

We just have to wait a bit longer...

[WarriorX4]

I'm wondering whether this boy had past troubles with the police.  If so, I would think it would set off some klaxons in his parents' heads.  If it didn't, then perhaps that explains this mess.  Video game violence, as Glenn has said, is a matter of understanding that it is not accepted off the screen, whether it be the TV screen, monitor screen, or your little handheld screen.  A parent should confront his/her child about violence in the media so that they can catch whether or not their children understand this concept of Media vs Reality and are able to differentiate between the two.

[The iMac Man]

BBUCK, on October 10th 2005, 10:16 PM, said:

But is placing the blame on someone else just a natural human instinct?  Everybody does it.

Speak for yourself buddy.  I take resposibilty for my own actions.