Jack Thompson To Face Contempt Charge 239
Gamasutra has the story (by way of the currently-down GamePolitics) that Jack Thompson could be facing a contempt charge over his antics during the Bully fiasco. From the article: "According to the report, the contempt of court request could find Thompson facing jail time, though it is more likely that 'fines, judicial admonishment or censure' would result from this most recent turn of events. The report also notes that attorneys representing the Philadelphia law firm Blank-Rome have filed a 'Petition for Order to Show Cause,' which requires Thompson to illustrate to a judge why he should not be held in contempt."
Rights (Score:5, Funny)
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Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
This guy has some issues. Problably from playing too many games as a kid.
Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
I think his problems come from not playing enough games as a kid, actually.
Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
Hmm.
Every time you masturbate, Jack Thompson sues another game publisher. Please, think of the publishers.
Re:Is it just me? (Score:4, Funny)
But publishers make me horny! What am I to do?!
Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is it just me? (Score:4, Funny)
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Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
HA! From another article linked from the orignal article...
I play D&D and I can tell you... slingshots do crap damage!
Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, but level 0 children only get 2d2-1 hit points. (No idea really, just making this up - for the one purist who actually knows how many hit points level 0 children get.)
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They may have low hit points, but they have extremely high stamina and charisma.
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Re:Is it just me? (Score:5, Informative)
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for a child -6 to constitution score (I think) so range between 1d4-5 to 1d4 + 1
for a youth -4 to constitution score (I think) so range between 1d4-5 to 1d4 + 2
for a juvenile -2 to constitution score (I think) so range between 1d4-4 to 1d4 + 3
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At least, that's how it work at my table.
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Real hack-n-slashers play AD&D 2nd ed.
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In 3.5, level 1 Commoner (adult) gets 1d4 hit points. A slingshot makes 1d3 points of damage (1d4 if used by an adult), so a very lucky kid can take 4 hits before dying, but can die from the first and is likely to die at the second hit.
Of course this all assumes that the kid is really a kid and not a skull child or some other hideou
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http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=2005
Wow. He has officially flipped. (Score:5, Informative)
Jesus.
Re:Wow. He has officially flipped. (Score:5, Funny)
Nope, don't think even Jesus can save him.
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Come out of the closet, Jack Thompson. (Score:5, Funny)
"You don't know the history of barratry! I do! You're just being glib!"
Since "jump the couch" is taken by Hollywood UFO-cultists, I hereby declare that Jack Thompson has officially "thrown the chair".
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Sorry, Steve Blamer owns that one.
"Stole the car", perhaps?
Re:Come out of the closet, Jack Thompson. (Score:5, Funny)
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I think the correct term is:
"beat the hoe"
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I like this game.
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RTFA - This was the lawyers, not the judge (Score:5, Insightful)
(I wanted to write "no, he's just snarling like the shark he jumped" or something along those lines, but you can only twist a metaphor so far, given that sharks don't actually snarl....)
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Hell, isn't this just another threat? I have used this type of phrase before, but it's usually when every single fact backs me up and usually it's one of those times I'll flame back someone who's completely made fun of me, and willing to scorch the earth. But who actually attacked Jacko? Who made him look stupid in public excep
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I think he could do a terrific Jack Thompsome.
Re:Wow. He has officially flipped. (Score:5, Funny)
No, Jack, I don't. It's a violent sport which, through the constant throwing of small but unyielding missiles toward children, and supplying them with large club-like weapons, would only inspire mild-mannered old me to become a crazed bat-wielding psychopath who goes on a rampage through my school.
Re:Wow. He has officially flipped. (Score:5, Funny)
The brink? The brink?? The brink of what?!?!
Curse you Jack, for keeping me in suspense! Come rant some more! Please?!?
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The guy needs to take some serious meds, look around and then admit that he lost. Both sides presented what they consider to be facts to an impartial arbiter of fact (judge). The judge made a decision and Thompson lost. If he was worried about our children...
1. Watch TV sometimes, the images are quite graphic.
2. Go to the library and check out the books there, they are even more g
Re:Wow. He has officially flipped. (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, there's a sort of Zeroth "Don't Do X" Law in any courtroom: Don't go off on a foaming-at-the-mouth rant about the judge's decisions/competence/parentage, or your whiny ass is headed to jail.
I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Insightful)
But can someone more legally inclined tell me why his response shouldn't be "because I'm innocent until proven guilty"?
It sounds like they've issued a petition to force Thompson to show he did no wrong.
Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Informative)
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Wrong? More like horrifying.
Non-elected position having no checks and balances? Gee, where have we heard this before?
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Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Informative)
There are plenty of checks and balances, most notably that the normal citizen going about his business is never in a position to be bound by the order so he can't be in contempt of it. If you're subject to the court's order, you're either a party, or one of the parties' lawyers, or a third party that has been dragged in to this mess. Third parties generally don't get orders made against them without the right to appear and argue why the order should or shouldn't go. Usually, people get added to these things when it's a question of implementation of orders made against/between parties - the court orders A to do X for B, but C actually holds the money and isn't doing jack squat without an order requiring them to.
You do occasionally get John Doe orders against any and all people currently illegally occupying a property, or whatever, but they're not especially common outside the labour context and environmental protests.
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Hmmm. In my state, the state judges are elected. (Here [pbs.org] is some explanation of how that came about.)
If I were disturbed by check & balance issue, though, it's not clear to me how a lack of check and balances for a judicial power should make me feel better than those who live in states where the judges are appointed, though.
Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Informative)
a) The judge in this case has been elected.
b) The "check" on this is immediate appeal to an appellate court, which frequently throw out contempt findings.
c) Judges in Florida can be impeached; another check.
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I agree with your points regarding law, which I know nothing about, but what's so gross about IANAL? Is it because it contains the letters A-N-A-L, in that order? If so, how do you refer to Panama's famous waterway?
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Now imagine saying it as if the second word is a verb.
Think about it.*
*This post is intended only as an expression of personal preference and not a condemnation or praise of any particular lifestyle.
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Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Informative)
Again, I don't know the details of this specific claim, but there's a reason why many (most?) lawyers want to be judges. A lot of power comes with the robe, even in this age of "mandatory minimums" and the like.
Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Insightful)
I haven't read the details but for the sake of argument let's say that the judge told both parties they couldn't do media interviews. Jack then turns around and does an interview with a family-friendly web site. That would be a contempt of court issue. The law firm is now trying to force Jack to explain why he shouldn't face whatever penalty the court said it would impose if either party talked to the media.
This is different from whether Jack has been shown to be guilty. In essence, the law firm is telling the court, "Jack did what you told him not to do. I want you to force him to tell you why he shouldn't suffer the penalty."
The judge didn't say this - Take-Two did. (Score:5, Informative)
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But it's important to point out that the determination is made by the judge. So far, the lawyers have filed a petition for order to show cause, and that's it.
The judge has not signed an order to show cause. So we don't even know if he's inclined to agree that Mr. Thompson's actions are contemptuous.
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He isn't being asked to provide evidence that he didn't do what he's accused of doing. There is nothing to "prove" here, as there is no dispute over the facts of what he did. He's simply being given an opportunity to provide a justification for his contemptuous behavior toward the judge.
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While "innocent until proven guilty" is a fundamental component of any sane legal system, it's not the only such component. Another closely related one is called "prima facie" evidence. This is evidence that by itself proves guilt if no proper rebuttal is forthcoming from the other party. Once prima facie evidence has been supplied by the plaintiff, the defendant *has* been proven guilty if
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Because the motion in question basically says, "here's what we consider to be proof that he's guilty." Now it's Jack's turn to present his side of the story.
The law is an adversarial process. The courts define 'truth' as being any statement both sides agree to allow into the record (though technically they use the word 'facts' rather than 'truth'). Then the judge's decision has to f
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On the other hand, his colorful outbursts would see greater public exposure...
Re:I dislike him as much as the next guy... (Score:5, Interesting)
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This isn't the judge, it's Take-Two requesting it (Score:2)
Prison Sodomy! (Score:5, Funny)
Joe Pesci (Score:5, Funny)
I want Joe Pesci to play Thompson in the upcoming movie, "Game Wars".
Can you imagine Pesci saying, "You want to play hardball...? You want to try to throw me in jail? You have no idea what you are unleashing in doing this. You're at the brink..."
Re:Joe Pesci (Score:5, Funny)
You have no chance to survive make your time.
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Oh s*it- Boss coming in now *opens fake spreadsheet*
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One can't help but think (Score:2)
For the love of christ (Score:5, Funny)
Re:For the love of christ (Score:5, Funny)
See??! Jack Thompson was right.... look what video games are doing to you.
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Yes, I'm forever scarred from all those Holey Moley [arcadeflyers.com] games.
Re:For the love of christ (Score:5, Funny)
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isn't it ironic, don't ya think?
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How to make JT blow his top (Score:2)
I want to play hardball! (Score:3, Funny)
This guy clearly....... (Score:5, Funny)
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No, that lawsuit has already been done. We'll need some other way to keep him occupied.
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Know who you're dealing with (Score:5, Funny)
"In sending documents to opponents, Thompson would frequently attach a photocopy of his driver's license, with a photo of Batman pasted over his own, just to make sure they knew who they were dealing with."
Re:Know who you're dealing with (Score:5, Insightful)
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Jack Thompson works for Take 2...... (Score:5, Interesting)
Well done, I say.
Re:Jack Thompson works for Take 2...... (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, except for the judicial system wanting your head on a pike after they find out you've been using the courtroom as a PR outlet. Nothing a few campaign contributions wouldn't fix, though...
Oh, this it too funny (Score:4, Insightful)
Does he think Blank-Rome is some kind of hick law firm in a backwater town? I seriously doubt they are underestimating what Thompson can "unleash" at any given time. How many different ways does everyone have to tell this guy to STFU?
Anyone else getting the idea that.. (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe he had a brother that played too much pacman, chowed down on some pills and then ate his mother.
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It's her own fault for putting a blue sheet over her head...
i am locution - and bored (Score:3, Interesting)
That's pretty contemptible remark there, bully boy. You know, the judge didn't even make his last ruling with prejudice. I think that the next time you are struck down, you won't even be appealing to him anymore. Sure, you'll be able make all the noise you want, but he won't hear you!
One really shouldn't be playing brinksmanship when he has so many holes in case. But really, on the hole, I think this judge is feeling pretty good. Eh hole? Hahahah. Yeah Jack, I'm flaming you. Burn in hell.
So... beautiful... (Score:2, Insightful)
He probably bought... (Score:3, Funny)
Atari! What hath thou wrought?!
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