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[[Image:JackThompson.jpg|right|thumb|Jack Thompson]] | [[Image:JackThompson.jpg|right|thumb|Jack Thompson]] | ||
'''John Bruce "Jack" Thompson''' (born July 25, 1951) is a former American attorney and campaigner against obscenity and violence in the media. He currently resides in Coral Gables, Florida. He was disbarred (license to practice law | '''John Bruce "Jack" Thompson''' (born July 25, 1951) is a former American attorney and campaigner against obscenity and violence in the media. He currently resides in Coral Gables, Florida. He was permanently disbarred (license to practice law revoked) for misconduct <ref name="Kotaku">http://kotaku.com/5054772/jack-thompson-disbarred</ref>. Thompson has campaigned against rap music, radio presenter Howard Stern and video games including the [[Grand Theft Auto|Grand Theft Auto series]], Bully and Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. | ||
==Video games and juveniles== | ==Video games and juveniles== | ||
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Thompson once reported that he had videotaped a Miami Best Buy selling a copy of ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' to a 10-year-old. In a letter to Best Buy, he wrote, “Prosecutions and public relations consequences should fall on your Minneapolis headquarters like snowflakes.”<ref name="Morris">Morris, Chris. “[http://money.cnn.com/2003/01/29/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ Crackpot or crusader?]” ''CNN/Money'', January 31, 2003.</ref> He eventually sued the company in Florida, arguing that it had violated a law against sale of sexual materials deemed harmful to minors. In January 2005, Best Buy agreed that it would enforce an existing policy to check the identification of anyone who appeared to be 21 or under and tried to purchase games rated “M” (for mature audiences).<ref name="Baldas">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1105364082606 |title=Video Game Industry Explodes With Legal, Regulatory Issues |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessyear= |author= |last=Baldas |first= Tresa |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2005-01-11 |year= |month= |format= |work=The National Law Journal |publisher=Law.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref> No law in effect at the time prohibited selling "M" rated video games to juveniles. | Thompson once reported that he had videotaped a Miami Best Buy selling a copy of ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' to a 10-year-old. In a letter to Best Buy, he wrote, “Prosecutions and public relations consequences should fall on your Minneapolis headquarters like snowflakes.”<ref name="Morris">Morris, Chris. “[http://money.cnn.com/2003/01/29/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/ Crackpot or crusader?]” ''CNN/Money'', January 31, 2003.</ref> He eventually sued the company in Florida, arguing that it had violated a law against sale of sexual materials deemed harmful to minors. In January 2005, Best Buy agreed that it would enforce an existing policy to check the identification of anyone who appeared to be 21 or under and tried to purchase games rated “M” (for mature audiences).<ref name="Baldas">{{cite web|url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1105364082606 |title=Video Game Industry Explodes With Legal, Regulatory Issues |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessyear= |author= |last=Baldas |first= Tresa |authorlink= |coauthors= |date=2005-01-11 |year= |month= |format= |work=The National Law Journal |publisher=Law.com |pages= |language= |archiveurl= |archivedate=}}</ref> No law in effect at the time prohibited selling "M" rated video games to juveniles. | ||
In September 2006, Thompson filed a suit in Albuquerque, New Mexico against Sony, Take-Two, Rockstar Games, and [[Cody Posey]], for the wrongful death of three members of Posey's family. The 69-page complaint filed by Thompson and Albuquerque attorney Steven Sanders argued that "obsessively" playing ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' made violence "pleasurable and attractive," disconnected violence from consequences, and caused Posey to "act out, copycat, replicate and emulate the violence" when he shot and killed his father, stepmother, and stepsister. Thompson and Sanders filed the lawsuit on behalf of the surviving family members of Posey's father. According to Thompson, "Posey essentially practiced how to kill on this game. If it wasn't for ''Grand Theft Auto'', three people might not now be dead."<ref name="Krueger">Gutierrez Krueger, Joline. “[http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/sep/25/video-game-maker-blamed-04-killing/ Video-game maker blamed in '04 killing].” ''The Albuquerque Tribune'', September 25, 2006.</ref> The lawsuit claims that Thompson was told by a sheriff's deputy that the game and a Sony Playstation 2 were found at the ranch. The suit also claims that the game taught Posey "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity."<ref name="Lawsuitblames">“Lawsuit blames 'Grand Theft Auto' video game for teen shooting family at N.M. ranch.” ''The Associated Press State & Local Wire'', September 26, 2006.</ref> Gary Mitchell, Posey's criminal defense attorney, said Thompson contacted him "numerous times" before the trial, urging Mitchell to highlight the game in Posey's defense, but Mitchell said he "just didn't find it had any merit whatsoever."<ref name="Romo">Romo, Rene. “[http://www.abqjournal.com/paperboy/text//news/state/496235nm09-26-06.htm Relatives of Posey's Victims Say Video Game Helped Turn Teenager Into a Killer].” ''Albuquerque Journal'', September 26, 2006.</ref> | In September 2006, Thompson filed a suit in Albuquerque, New Mexico against Sony, Take-Two, Rockstar Games, and [[Controversy|Cody Posey]], for the wrongful death of three members of Posey's family. The 69-page complaint filed by Thompson and Albuquerque attorney Steven Sanders argued that "obsessively" playing ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' made violence "pleasurable and attractive," disconnected violence from consequences, and caused Posey to "act out, copycat, replicate and emulate the violence" when he shot and killed his father, stepmother, and stepsister. Thompson and Sanders filed the lawsuit on behalf of the surviving family members of Posey's father. According to Thompson, "Posey essentially practiced how to kill on this game. If it wasn't for ''Grand Theft Auto'', three people might not now be dead."<ref name="Krueger">Gutierrez Krueger, Joline. “[http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/sep/25/video-game-maker-blamed-04-killing/ Video-game maker blamed in '04 killing].” ''The Albuquerque Tribune'', September 25, 2006.</ref> The lawsuit claims that Thompson was told by a sheriff's deputy that the game and a Sony Playstation 2 were found at the ranch. The suit also claims that the game taught Posey "how to point and shoot a gun in a fashion making him an extraordinarily effective killer without teaching him any of the constraints or responsibilities needed to inhibit such a killing capacity."<ref name="Lawsuitblames">“Lawsuit blames 'Grand Theft Auto' video game for teen shooting family at N.M. ranch.” ''The Associated Press State & Local Wire'', September 26, 2006.</ref> Gary Mitchell, Posey's criminal defense attorney, said Thompson contacted him "numerous times" before the trial, urging Mitchell to highlight the game in Posey's defense, but Mitchell said he "just didn't find it had any merit whatsoever."<ref name="Romo">Romo, Rene. “[http://www.abqjournal.com/paperboy/text//news/state/496235nm09-26-06.htm Relatives of Posey's Victims Say Video Game Helped Turn Teenager Into a Killer].” ''Albuquerque Journal'', September 26, 2006.</ref> | ||
On March 14, 2007 Take-Two filed a lawsuit to prevent Thompson from preventing the sale of [[Grand Theft Auto IV]] and Manhunt 2 to minors, claiming that Thompson's effort to block sales of its games through lawsuits violates the company's First Amendment rights. Responding, Thompson said, "I have been praying, literally, that Take-Two and its lawyers would do something so stupid, so arrogant, so dumb, even dumber than what they have to date done, that such a misstep would enable me to destroy Take-Two." On April 19, 2007, Thompson and Take-Two settled their suit, with Thompson agreeing not to restrict sales through any court worldwide of Take-Two's games, threaten to sue the company, or accuse Take-Two of any wrongdoing based on the sale of any of its games. Upon the game's 2008 release, Thompson called the game "the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio," and asked Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to "pursue and file criminal charges against [Minnesota-based retailers] Target and Best Buy." He also sent a letter to Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick's attorney, addressed to Zelnick's mother, in which Thompson accused her son of "doing everything he possibly can to sell as many copies of GTA IV to teen boys in the United States". On May 1, 2008 Thompson appeared on the asserted that the game's sexual content made its sale to minors illegal, and that he was working with law enforcement to have criminal prosecutions brought. Thompson also filed a complaint with the Chicago Transit Authority about poster ads for the game at Chicago, Illinois bus stops. | On March 14, 2007 Take-Two filed a lawsuit to prevent Thompson from preventing the sale of [[Grand Theft Auto IV]] and Manhunt 2 to minors, claiming that Thompson's effort to block sales of its games through lawsuits violates the company's First Amendment rights. Responding, Thompson said, "I have been praying, literally, that Take-Two and its lawyers would do something so stupid, so arrogant, so dumb, even dumber than what they have to date done, that such a misstep would enable me to destroy Take-Two." On April 19, 2007, Thompson and Take-Two settled their suit, with Thompson agreeing not to restrict sales through any court worldwide of Take-Two's games, threaten to sue the company, or accuse Take-Two of any wrongdoing based on the sale of any of its games. Upon the game's 2008 release, Thompson called the game "the gravest assault upon children in this country since polio," and asked Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to "pursue and file criminal charges against [Minnesota-based retailers] Target and Best Buy." He also sent a letter to Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick's attorney, addressed to Zelnick's mother, in which Thompson accused her son of "doing everything he possibly can to sell as many copies of GTA IV to teen boys in the United States". On May 1, 2008 Thompson appeared on the asserted that the game's sexual content made its sale to minors illegal, and that he was working with law enforcement to have criminal prosecutions brought. Thompson also filed a complaint with the Chicago Transit Authority about poster ads for the game at Chicago, Illinois bus stops. | ||
==GTA IV Mission== | ==GTA IV Mission== | ||
In the mission [[Final Interview]] in [[Grand Theft Auto IV]], [[Francis McReary]] orders [[Niko Bellic]] to kill a [[Goldberg, Ligner and Shyster|lawyer]] that Thompson says is based on himself. As Niko pulls out his gun, one of the lines that the lawyer can say is Jack Thompson's famous line: '' | In the mission [[Final Interview]] in [[Grand Theft Auto IV]], [[Francis McReary]] orders [[Niko Bellic]] to kill a [[Goldberg, Ligner and Shyster|lawyer]] that Thompson says is based on himself. As Niko pulls out his gun, one of the lines that the lawyer can say is Jack Thompson's famous line: ''Guns don't kill people, video games do.'' Thompson threatened [[Rockstar Games]] that he would take any means necessary to ban the game if all similarities of himself are not removed. The mission is still in the game, but Thompson hasn't taken any further action. It is unknown if the similarities of himself have been removed or even existed in the first place. However, a possible parody of Thompson can be found in-game: the offices of a "''Tom Jackson, Attorney at Law''" in [[Alderney]] have been converted into a "''Cash for Games''" store <ref>[http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m59/gta_talk/FelipeVinhao/Tom.jpg]</ref>. | ||
==Relationship with industry and gamers== | ==Relationship with industry and gamers== | ||
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* [http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/blog/AOTB/post/629272/Jack_Thompson_vs_Adam_Sessler.html Jack Thompson versus Adam Sessler on] G4's ''Attack of the Show!'' | * [http://www.g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/blog/AOTB/post/629272/Jack_Thompson_vs_Adam_Sessler.html Jack Thompson versus Adam Sessler on] G4's ''Attack of the Show!'' | ||
[[Category:People]] | [[Category:People]] | ||
[[es:Jack Thompson]] | |||