Jack Thompson Removed from Case

[bapenguin]

Good news for free speech advocates. A judge in the Alabama court case (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12774) is deciding on whether or not to revoke Jack Thompson's license to practice law as well as removed him from the case. The court case as you might remember is for the killing of two police officers and a dispatcher who were murdered by 18 year old Devin Moore. The lawsuit is against: Sony, Take-Two, Rockstar, Wal-Mart and GameStop in which Thompson claims that Grand Theft Auto trained Moore to become a killer.

When Judge Moore asked Thompson to justify some of the statements made in his press releases, he replied: "I'm not pretending I'm not a nice guy. I'm not pretending I don't have a temper."Judge Moore has taken the motion to revoke Thompson's license under advisement, and is also considering a motion to have the entire suit dismissed on the grounds that the First Amendment, which provides for freedom of speech, applies to videogames. The defendants' laywers also claim that Devin Moore's actions could not have been foreseen.
Good riddance...and I hope the door hits you in the ass on the way out.

Update: According to GamePolitics (http://www.gamepolitics.com/), Jack Thompson has withdrawn himself from the case.

[TrackZero]

BWAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAA.

Ah, that feels good.

[Cha-Ka]

Can I get a link on this? It's too good to be true!

[aversion2k]

Got a link to the full article?

[Verocity]

Perhaps...let's just hope someone with 1/2 a brain does not replace him.

[falak]

That's totally sweet. Sweet like a chocolate caramel hobnob, and i dont say that lightly.

[bapenguin]

Got a link to the full article?

sorry bout that. fixed.

[dartt]

Not being an American I have no say but I agree with the idea of games having a legally enforced rating but Thompson took things too far with his ridiculous claims like The Sims conspiring with the porn industry and the Beltway sniper using Halo to train.

He got what was coming to him.

[Deathbane27]

News title states he's been disbarred, but his license hasn't been pried from his cold, dead fingers yet.

But still... WOOT!

[Lexicon]

From what i read in the article the judge has taken the motion under advisement he hasnt decided whether to have thompson removed from the case and his license revoked.

[mkelehan]

Yeah, title needs to be changed. He wasn't disbarred.

[bapenguin]

News title states he's been disbarred, but his license hasn't been pried from his cold, dead fingers yet.

But still... WOOT!

Well..he was disbarred in Alabama right? Am I using the term wrong?

Just looked it up in the Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disbarment). I think i'm good.In the United States legal system, disbarment is specific to regions; one can be disbarred from some courts, while still being a member of the bar in another jurisdiction. However, under the American Bar Association's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which have been adopted in most states, disbarment in one state or court is grounds for disbarment in a jurisdiction which has adopted the Model Rules.

Disbarment is quite rare. Instead, lawyers are usually sanctioned by their own clients through civil malpractice proceedings, or via fine, censure, suspension, fines, or other punishments from the disciplinary boards.

[MaiXu]

I nearly shit myself after reading the headline ... but it's rather misleading. Sadly, Jack "Fucktard" Thompson has not been disbarred ... yet. The judge is merely "taking into consideration" a movement to have him thrown off the case and revoke his liscense in Alabama. While the former is likely, the latter would be a bit extreme. But he can still practice law in Florida, among other states.

[Lexicon]

Well..he was disbarred in Alabama right? Am I using the term wrong?

He wasnt disbarred in Alabama, not yet anyway judge hasnt decided.

[Bushi]

From what i read in the article the judge has taken the motion under advisement he hasnt decided whether to have thompson removed from the case and his license revoked.

Yeah this header is totally misleading, the question mark at the end of it really doesn't stick out against he headline :). No mater how much we would all like to see him disbarred.

It probable should be MIGHT be disbarred in the title.

[bapenguin]

He wasnt disbarred in Alabama, not yet anyway judge hasnt decided.

Ok, I changed it. I misread it I guess. I read it as accepted the notion to revoke his license, not that he accepted to hear the notion to remove his license.

[MStiles]

Please read the actual article you link to:

Thompson has NOT been disbarred.

Ah, what the hell does EA care with getting the simple facts right. They'll get more clicks with the blatantly wrong sensational headline. :(

[bapenguin]

Please read the actual article you link to:

Thompson has NOT been disbarred.

Ah, what the hell does EA care with getting the simple facts right. They'll get more clicks with the blatantly wrong sensational headline. :(

I misunderstood what the article was saying. I guess you've never miscomprehended anything your lawyer life.

And in case you didn't notice, I changed the headline after my mistake was pointed out to me.

[Taco]

Good to know he acts this way in public too.

[Heretic Machine]

Ok, we've had about a dozen posts of "The headline is misleading", no more are needed, thank you.

[swiftdraw]

Mis-reads happen. Bapenguin probably just got excited and tried to spread the news ASAP. So, what are the chances of him actaully getting disbarred? I'd like to see that happen just to listen to his reaction, probably threaten to bring down legal action the judge. :D

[rainbowblack]

i acually walked through manhattan a few weeks ago looking for a hobo that looks like jack thompson just so i can take his picture for photoshop purposes awaiting a day like this to happen

darn, im sure any hobo would have been fine....stupid stupid stupid!

[falak]

Ah, what the hell does EA care with getting the simple facts right. They'll get more clicks with the blatantly wrong sensational headline. :(As long as it winds up the guys at GameTab, I'm happy.

[bean19]

I misunderstood what the article was saying. I guess you've never miscomprehended anything your lawyer life.

And in case you didn't notice, I changed the headline after my mistake was pointed out to me.

bapenguin - I love you man, but the article is still wrong. His license has not yet been revoked. The judge has taken it "under advisement". That means that he has not made a decision. They had the hearing in which they asked that they revoke his license, but the judge hasn't ruled yet.

[bean19]

The story should read like this bapenguin!

Good news for free speech advocates. A judge in the Alabama court case (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12774) has not yet ruled on whether or not to revoke extremist attorney Jack Thompson's license to practice law in Alabama and is deciding on whether or not to immediately dismiss the case based on the premise that the First Ammendment applies to video games. The court case as you might remember is for the killing of two police officers and a dispatcher who were murdered by 18 year old Devin Moore. The lawsuit is against: Sony, Take-Two, Rockstar, Wal-Mart and GameStop in which Thompson claims that Grand Theft Auto trained Moore to become a killer.


Good riddance...and I hope the door hits you in the ass on the way out.

Edit: Not bolded, but you need to fix the spelling of attorney too. :)

[Murmillo]

Time to delete this thread and start all over...

[bobbler]

Best news I've heard all day!

DIE YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT.

I hope he reads this. Tee hee.

[thecrazyd]

bapenguin - I love you man, but the article is still wrong. His license has not yet been revoked. The judge has taken it "under advisement". That means that he has not made a decision. They had the hearing in which they asked that they revoke his license, but the judge hasn't ruled yet.
WHICH IS WHY THE TITLE WAS CHANGED.

o

[Atorak]

Hey...If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one.

I'd like Jack Thompson, my lawyer, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here...with a BIG ribbon on his head. And I want to look him straight in the eye...and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey shit he is!

Hallelujah! Holy shit....where's the Tylenol?

[Goronmon]

WHICH IS WHY THE TITLE WAS CHANGED.
But the newspost itself is still wrong. It says his liscence was revoked.

[Imelman]

I thought there was something wrong with the Jack Thompson being disbarred thing when the clouds didn't part, a rainbow didn't appear, I didn't hear angles singing, Twilight Princess wasn't moved up to release by christmas, Firefly wasn't brought back to TV with new episodes, and all the other miracles that would accompany such an occurence didn't happen. I am certain the signs will be there when Jackie-boy is finally brought down and I'll probably just know that it happened without having to read it on the net. I will probably be imbued with holy light or something like that.

[NoName]

I thought there was something wrong with the Jack Thompson being disbarred thing when the clouds didn't part, a rainbow didn't appear, I didn't hear angles singing, Twilight Princess wasn't moved up to release by christmas, Firefly wasn't brought back to TV with new episodes, and all the other miracles that would accompany such an occurence didn't happen. I am certain the signs will be there when Jackie-boy is finally brought down and I'll probably just know that it happened without having to read it on the net. I will probably be imbued with holy light or something like that.
ROFL, the best thing I've heard tonight...

[Apache]

you better re-read the GI story because all that happened was that the opposing lawyers filed a couple motions and the judge has yet to rule on them.

[Genital Eclipse]

I'm going to re-read this thread to make sure i hate it more than I do right now.

[bapenguin]

Man...tough crowd tonight. At least I'm not the only one who made the mistake, HardOCP (http://www.hardocp.com/) has the same title as my original one.

[Dariath]

God bless National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.

[aversion2k]

Its almost as if the labeling of this thread is more important then what its acutally about

[Heretic Machine]

you better re-read the GI story because all that happened was that the opposing lawyers filed a couple motions and the judge has yet to rule on them.

Thanks for the heads-up! I didn't get that from the first three pages of posts just like yours, but you really cleared things up for me.

[Rommel]

He wasn't disbarred. It was just a devkit.

[bobbler]

I think the problem with the title has more to do with the great disappointment that accompanied the realization that he wasn't disbarred and not that the simple mistake was actually worthy of all the posts.

Everyone was just trying to make sure the agony of realizing it wasn't the truth didn't happen to other people.

[bobbler]

He wasn't disbarred. It was just a devkit.

Hah.

I wonder how many readers will understand the reference...

[KhitomerRouge]

HOLY SHIT! If GamePolitics.com is right, then Thompson's just withdrawn from the case (http://www.livejournal.com/users/gamepolitics/126359.html)! Yes, that is a LJ link, but that's just how GamePolitics uses comments on their news stories.

It's no disbarment, but it's certainly a blow against our good friend Jack.

[bean19]

Man...tough crowd tonight. At least I'm not the only one who made the mistake, HardOCP (http://www.hardocp.com/) has the same title as my original one.

Still incorrect. The judge can only remove his license for Alabama. That's important information because it doesn't get rid of him entirely.

[JediSanf]

HOLY SHIT! If GamePolitics.com is right, then Thompson's just withdrawn from the case (http://www.livejournal.com/users/gamepolitics/126359.html)! Yes, that is a LJ link, but that's just how GamePolitics uses comments on their news stories.

It's no disbarment, but it's certainly a blow against our good friend Jack.

Phenominal news. My guess is that the judge told him he wouldn't like the ruling on the Pro Hack Vice licence removal motion (this was the "disbarrment" everyone above us is playing semantics with) the defense filed and gave him this opportunity to save face.

To summarize for those who skipped straight to the last page: Still Pro Hack Vice in Alabama, still on the Florida Bar, not on the case.

Now here's hoping the summary judgement motion goes the same way.

[bapenguin]

Still incorrect. The judge can only remove his license for Alabama. That's important information because it doesn't get rid of him entirely.

True, but according to the info I posted from the Wiki, once one court system disbars someone, it's a lot easier and not unusual for the rest of them to.


He wasn't disbarred. It was just a devkit.

Nice.

[bean19]

bapenguin - that is very cart before the horse. I work in a law office. What you are saying is incorrect and misleading.

[Imelman]

Yeah, just don't let Jack know that or he'll sue bapenguin for libel and Penny-Arcade will have to come to the rescue by blatently pissing Jack off and taking his attention away from everything else.

[Murmillo]

bean19, calm down.. lol. its only a slight missleading news post on a game forum, not a grand jury indictment.

[bean19]

bean19, calm down.. lol. its only a slight missleading news post on a game forum, not a grand jury indictment.

I think I'm coming off more insistent and upset than I really am.

One of the things I respect about this site is that it tells the news well, so I want it to be as correct and professional as possible.

I certainly won't lose sleep over it, and I still think bapenguin is the cat's pajamas.

Just want the error fixed.

[mightbe]

Man...tough crowd tonight. At least I'm not the only one who made the mistake, HardOCP (http://www.hardocp.com/) has the same title as my original one.

Yeah but [H]ardOCP has pictures of pumpkins and dusty cases on their main page. And when's the last time EA got buzzed by reps from Falcon NW?

[H]ard ones have all the fun.

*pout*

[mightbe]

I'm all for the "I hate jack thompson" bandwagon and whatnot. But I do fear that he could easily jump on his own sword and become martyr.

It's too easy to imagine him coming back and barnstorming the talkshow circuit with "Even the legal system is in the pocket of the corrupt smut mongering game companies! %$@! Quake 4 is a murder simulator!" That it may be, but the multiplayer sucks.

*shrugs* I figure that's how he could get the most attention. That and a facebook account. That's where the rest of the attention whores hang out.

[bobbler]

I'm all for the "I hate jack thompson" bandwagon and whatnot. But I do fear that he could easily jump on his own sword and become martyr.

It's too easy to imagine him coming back and barnstorming the talkshow circuit with "Even the legal system is in the pocket of the corrupt smut mongering game companies! %$@! Quake 4 is a murder simulator!" That it may be, but the multiplayer sucks.

*shrugs* I figure that's how he could get the most attention. That and a facebook account. That's where the rest of the attention whores hang out.

If he gets disbarred I bet he'll run for governor somewhere -- in one of them crazy bible lovin' southern states. You watch!

[Morratut]

He wasn't disbarred. It was just a devkit.


ROFLCOPTER!!!!!

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

According to that Game Politics article, there was never any chance of Thompson being disbarred in Alabama because he's not a member of the Alabama state bar -- he has a pro hac vice license, which allows him to serve as a lawyer in Alabama for this particular case and this particular case only. If that got revoked he would've been thrown off the case (which may be why he decided to voluntarily withdraw), but it won't affect his standing with any other state bar and he could simply reapply for another license at a later date if he ever needs to practice in Alabama again.

[bapenguin]

According to that Game Politics article, there was never any chance of Thompson being disbarred in Alabama because he's not a member of the Alabama state bar -- he has a pro hac vice license, which allows him to serve as a lawyer in Alabama for this particular case and this particular case only. If that got revoked he would've been thrown off the case (which may be why he decided to voluntarily withdraw), but it won't affect his standing with any other state bar and he could simply reapply for another license at a later date if he ever needs to practice in Alabama again.

Thanks for the clarification. See, you learn something new everyday. :)

[Citizen Philip]

Here's a few words for Jack:

GAME OVER

DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE (10) ?

PLEASE INSERT $0.25

[Ultima Thulian]

Instead of ripping on bapenguin like the other 500 fucktards who've done so despite constant corrections made to his thread/statement, I'll do what this thread was likely made for and speak on the topic on hand. Oh, BTW, if you find what I said offensive please feel free to bitch and moan about what I said, it'll give bapenguin a breather. We are all capable of mistakes people. Bapenguin fixed his, so let him be.

No matter how you look at, this is good news if you hate Jack Thompson. Anytime a judge considers revoking a lawyer's license, it can really hurt that lawyer's reputation and credibility. So if nothing else, we maybe seeing less of ole Jack for a while. Or maybe not. Either it sucks for Jack Thompson and that is a very good thing.

[mightbe]

If he gets disbarred I bet he'll run for governor somewhere -- in one of them crazy bible lovin' southern states. You watch!

I dunno. If the 'bama won't take him, who will? Missouri?

I can see it now.

*fade in to interior of mobile home*
Are you tired of your kids running around the house like a maniac torturing your housepets and disrupting your home business?

Dad: "Bobby! Put that cat down and stop turning my rolling papers into little airplanes!"

Bobby: "But dad, I learnt to be a shithead from vid-jo games."

Don't try and actually do your job as a parent. That's too much for us to ask. Let Jack Thomson do your job for you. He'll get as many laws passed as he can that will decide what your children can and can't do.
*camera pans over to the other end of the trailer where Jack Thompson, in a
Miluakee's Best Tube Top, is relaxing on a zebra print recliner*

"I'm JT. And I approve this message."
*fade to black*

[Nailhead]

Ahhh, Justice.

[da.Guvna]

Good news for all, but I still won't be entirely satisfied until JT wins the Darwin awards.