The much-anticipated Jace Hall Show segment with game-hatin' Florida attorney Jack Thompson is now live...

Clearly, as Thompson has suggested, the episode was scripted for laughs.

Last September game-hatin' attorney Jack Thompson claimed in a federal court filing that a corrupt attorney marked for assassination in Grand Theft Auto IV was him. But then, Thompson says a lot of things...

What seems more clear is that a hybrid car (left) available for jacking in GTA IV is named after a well-known game violence researcher, Dr. Karen Dill of North Carolina's Lenoir-Rhyne College.

As reported by the Chronicle of Higher Education:

The "Karin Dilettante" is a sporty hybrid sedan that appears in Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest installment in the famously violent and sexualized series of video games. "Chicks love electronic gadgets" is the slogan in fake ads for the car.

 

Ms. Dill says she couldn't believe that Rockstar Games, the maker of Grand Theft Auto, had taken the trouble to name a car for her: "I was kind of like, whoa, they actually do care about video-game research."

Dill, who has testified on game violence issues before Congress, apparently took the parody good-naturedly. Reportedly, she was simply relieved to find that she was not portrayed as one of the game's hookers.

Controversy seems to follow Virtual Jihadi, artist Wafaa Bilal's computer game commentary on America's Iraq war policy.

As GamePolitics reported earlier this year, Bilal and his exhibit were uninvited from Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute following complaints about the game from the school's College Republican club. After moving the exhibit to an art gallery in nearby Troy, New York, Republican city officials intervened, closing the gallery over alleged building code violations. Art gallery officials charged that the closure was politically motivated. The New York Civil Liberties Union eventually filed a lawsuit against the city over the issue. 

Fast forward to this month. Bilal, an American citizen as well as a faculty member at the Art Institute of Chicago, is currently exhibiting Virtual Jihadi at the Windy City's FLATFILE galleries, accompanied by a renewed round of controversy.

So, what's the uproar about? By way of background, GamePolitics reader Zachary Miner described the game as the RPI/Troy flap was raging earlier this year. Bilal's exhibit is, essentially, a mod of an al Qaeda mod of a forgettable PC game called Quest for Saddam:

During his speech, Bilal said that the idea for the game started with Quest for Saddam... in which the object is to find and kill Saddam Hussein. Apparently someone in Al Qaeda obtained a copy of the game, changed the skins of the soldiers and Saddam so that now the player is an Iraqi killing Americans and hunting George Bush [the so-called Night of Bush Capturing game].

[Bilal changed] the game from the Al Qaeda version so that instead of the player himself killing Bush, he now has to recruit someone else - in this case, a character skinned to look like Bilal himself... to become a suicide bomber and attack Bush. Bilial said that the point of this is to show the vulnerabilty of Iraqi citizens to recruitment for such purposes.

Negative reaction to the Chicago exhibit has come from a variety of critics:

• Conservative pundit Michelle Malkin: If you’re a left-wing artist looking for attention, you can never go wrong with assassination chic. The latest entrant is one Wafaa Bilal. He’s got issues, as they say... And Obama and his grievance-mongering supporters have the nerve to whine about that New Yorker cartoon…
• Glenn Reynolds of InstaPundit: If somebody did this about Obama it would be a national scandal and evidence of America's incurable bigotry. But since it's an artist named Wafaa Bilal and it's about Bush it's just "confrontational art"... In an earlier age, this kind of thing would have been considered unacceptable enemy propaganda. On the other hand, this is just more proof that all the lefty bleating about George Bush's fascism is just self-indulgent -- and utterly dishonest -- twaddle.
• Jihad Watch: There is freedom of speech and there is incitement to murder. A cartoon of Muhammad harms no one, although there are those who chose to consider themselves harmed by it, and think that it gives them a license to commit murder. This video game, on the other hand, encourages the murder of a living human being. Yet no one will be particularly concerned about this, while attempts to limit free speech because of the cartoons continue... It isn't as if anyone drew a cartoon of Muhammad in this exhibit. That would be crossing the line, now, wouldn't it?
• Israeli game blogger Avi Green : This is really obscene and disgusting, and that it should be shown at an exhibition where I'm guessing they wouldn't even think of displaying the Mohammed cartoons from Denmark, should tell something about the true nature of the institute. Whoever Flatfile are, anyone with common sense should stay away from them.

Meanwhile, embattled anti-game lawyer Jack Thompson has inserted himself into the situation. As reported by Time Out Chicago, Thompson issued one of his typical legal threats to FLATFILE director Susan  Aurinko:

Either you immediately remove [Virtual Jihadi] from your ‘art gallery,’ or I shall take the necessary legal action to have it removed. I have already contacted the Secret Service.  Your public display of this game is a criminal act. 

It's unclear on what basis Thompson assumes the exhibit constitutes a crime. The FBI reportedly reviewed Bilal's game when it was first exhibited at RPI in March and took no action. Thompson subsequently claimed in an e-mail that Bilal "threatened" him in a phone call last Friday, although the nature of the "threat" is not specified. 

UPDATE: Executive Protection News has weighed in on Bilal's project:

Executive protection specialists should not dismiss these games no matter how distasteful they might be. Suicide bombers have been very effective in targeting VIPs and have successfully assassinated national leaders, military officials and other key figures. The threat of suicide bombers to key persons is real...

 

While it is doubtful that this game will result in a direct threat to President Bush or even an immediate suicide bomber attempt, these games give legitimacy to the tactic and hence encourage those who are already predisposed to use suicide bomber tactics.

Jack Thompson will be featured in an interview on the July 24th episode of the normally light-hearted Jace Hall show.

We don't think this one will be a walk in the park, however. The segment, according to Thompson, was filmed in a video game store in Salt Lake City. The likely-to-be-disbarred attorney was there recently to be honored by America's Freedom Festival. Why Thompson was feted remains a mystery, as officials of the festival have not responded to our requests for information.

As to Thompson's Jace Hall appearance, the show apparently provided two brief clips to Thompson, who forwarded them to GamePolitics (sorry, we have no clearance to make them generally available). Here's the dialogue:

(first clip)

Jace Hall: Having created mature-rated video games myself, and just listening to you, effectively I'm one of the damned, apparently.

Jack Thompson: Yes... permanently

(second clip)

Jace Hall: Now that you've had a chance to talk to me, do you think of me as some bad guy who's trying to hurt children?

Jack Thompson: No, I don't think of you, Jason, as a bad guy. I think of you as pure evil, and there's a special room in Hell for you...

GP: If you're not familiar with Jace Hall, he is co-founder of Monolith and a former VP at Warner Brothers. He has a long list of game projects to his credit. 

With his remaining time as a licensed attorney likely numbered in days rather than decades, you might think that anti-game campaigner Jack Thompson would be in something of a funk.

However, Thompson has e-mailed GamePolitics with a YouTube link to a new G4TV parody called Jack Thompson Was Right. His subject line? "Very Funny, Really"...

However, when we jumped over to YouTube the video was gone, and the following notice posted: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by g4 Media Inc."

No worries. G4TV still has the video...

On Saturday VentureBeat posted Dean Takahashi's excellent, eve-of-E3 interview with ESA CEO Michael Gallagher.

Among his remarks, Gallagher took a rare shot at embattled anti-game attorney Jack Thompson, telling Takahashi:

[Thompson] is in the rear view mirror... The bright future that lies in front of us does not include Jack Thompson...

Naturally, we couldn't resist asking the volatile Thompson for his reaction to Gallagher's remarks. In an e-mail to Gallagher, cc'd to GamePolitics, Thompson wrote:

Dear Mike:

 

I really enjoyed your "Jack Thompson is in the rearview mirror" comment.  I think it is a reasonable thing to say, based upon what you think you know about what is going on between me and The Florida Bar, but in fact it is not accurate.  You don't know what is going on behind the scenes.
 
What I would like you to know, however, is that I plan to file a lawsuit this week against the ESA.  It's about time.  If you think my current, soon to be past, Bar problems are an impediment to that suit, think again...

 
I look forward to the entire video game industry having the  ESA and the ESRB in its rearview mirror.  That should be accomplished soon.

GP: The lawsuit of which Thompson speaks is apparently some type of RICO allegation. We've asked for more details but are taking a wait-and-see attitude as to whether this one ever happens. Not every lawsuit Thompson threatens actually gets filed, and this one in particular has the whiff of a non-starter.

Thompson also sent Gallagher the picture included in this report, which is, we have to admit, an amusing touch.

Getting all of the Thompson news out of the way so we can focus on E3, the controversial barrister has - not unexpectedly - filed several motions with the Florida Supreme Court, objecting to last week's report by Judge Dava Tunis which recommended that he be disbarred for life.

A lawmaker in the Philippines has introduced a bill designed to prevent minors from puchasing violent video games.

As reported by the Asian Journal, the measure proposed by Rep. Narciso Santiago (left) could imprison retailers for up to one year for selling mature-themed games to underage buyers.

Santiago cited studies showing increased aggressiveness following violent game play. The lawmaker commented:

[The state has] compelling interests to prevent violent, aggressive, asocial behavior [and] prevent psychological harm to minors who play violent video games, and prevent physical harm to the victims of violent minors, including other minors....  It is also the responsibility of the state to eliminate any societal factors that may inhibit the psychological and neurological development of the youth and facilitate the health development of the youth  into well-meaning productive adults.

GP: Our old pal Jack Thompson wrote in a comment to another story that Santiago's bill is patterned after his 2006 legislation from Louisiana. That bill failed miserably under US constitutional law, but made for good theater, nonetheless (see: The Circus Comes to Louisiana)...

Over at VentureBeat, Dean Takahashi serves up a terrific Q&A-style interview with ESA CEO Mike Gallagher (left).

The interview comes on the eve of E3 and Takahashi fires some tough questions at Gallagher.

Highlights include:

VB: How did you choose the Texas governor, Rick Perry, for the other keynote?

 

MG: It makes complete sense Gov. Perry would be an invitee. Texas is a leading state when it comes to game development. They have an environment where they welcome the video game publishers and developers. They are reaping the economic benefit because of that... We’re delighted for the first time to bring such a high level politician to E3. It’s a sign of respect for the industry and maturity.

 

VB: The industry still has its share of political battles regarding censorship. How are those going?

 

MG: We are winning those but we are not out of the woods... There are many in the state and federal arenas that operate off a broken, flawed historical stereotype. That problem is a top priority for us. We’re trying to set a positive image for this industry and to make sure politicians understand it... 

 

VB: Would you say Jack Thompson (the crusading Florida anti-game attorney) embodies your opponents and their views?

 

MG: He is in the rear view mirror... The bright future that lies in front of us does not include Jack Thompson...

 

VB: Some companies have dropped out of the ESA. There seem to be several reasons. Some may not get along with you. Some don’t like the higher dues... 

 

MG: Who says they don’t get along with me?

 

VB: I can’t specifically answer that.

 

MG: I would press you on your sources. I haven’t heard that element come through where there is a personal disagreement with me, or, more importantly, there is a disagreement with the ESA’s mission. Every company that has left has embraced the ESA’s mission... When it comes to the ESA mission... we are making sure that the states and federal constituencies understand it...

Read the entire interview at VentureBeat.

In 2005, Jack Thompson wrote Out of Harm's Way, an autobiography which detailed his brand of activism. Toward the end of book he lists 25 Culture War Tips From the Trenches.

These include "Be mean" and "Take the Offensive."

Thompson apparently put his philosophy into practice with zest, if one judges by transcripts of his November, 2007 Bar trial. Judge Dava Tunis cites large chunks of those transcripts in her 169-page report to the Florida Supreme Court in which she recommends that Thompson be disbarred for life.

While GamePolitics has already offered exclusive coverage of the transcripts involving Thompson Bar trial witnesses related to video game cases, we had not previously read the testimony of Florida attorneys Larry Kellogg and Al Cardenas (left) of the Tew Cardenas law firm. In 2005 Kellogg was hired by Beasley Communications to deal with Thompson. Beasley owns radio stations and Thompson had targeted some of their shock jock programming. From the transcripts cited by Judge Tunis:

Kellogg: ...what [Thompson] does in these situations -- is he attacks the lawyers for those he wants to do something with... once he learned that I was involved, he started sending me communications to me about my client and about me to others. He also started copying me with all the communications he was sending to others... the F.C.C., third parties of every sort...

I had another matter out in Denver... So I went out to Denver and I didn't get back to Mr. Thompson quick enough for him. So I started getting e-mails threatening that he was going to sue me personally if I didn't arrange a meeting. He sent me an e-mail giving me deadlines. I must have this meeting -- agree to this meeting -- by a certain date or things were going to happen. I was getting all these e-mails, but I was out on another matter and I didn't think it was the most important thing in my life was to arrange a meeting with him. So because I didn't do it fast enough for him, he sent a series of letters... and this was the basis for my initial Bar complaint, why I got involved for the first time in 26 years in a Bar proceeding. I've never filed a Bar complaint and I've never been involved in one prior to this day. This is what made me do it...

Al Cardenas is my partner. Al Cardenas has never represented Beasley and he had never done anything
personally on behalf of Beasley up to that time and never has since. He's never billed an hour of time. He's never talked to them about any legal matter. He's never represented them in any way. He was simply an innocent bystander, who happens to have been the co-chair of President Bush's Florida campaign. He is involved in politics. He's well known as being involved in politics on the Republican side and he knows very well Jeb Bush and he knows George Bush and [Florida Governor] Charlie Crist. He knows them all and they all know who he is.... So Mr. Thompson, because I wouldn't get a meeting with him fast enough...[made the following statements regarding Mr. Cardenas.]:

Hot off the press... Be warned - it's a 169-page pdf file.

Get it here.

UPDATE: In addition to her recommendation that Jack Thompson be permanently disbarred with no opportunity for reinstatement, Judge Tunis recommends an assessment of $43,675 for the costs incurred by the Florida Bar in prosecuting his case.

The report by Judge Tunis is quite lengthy. We will break it down and comment on it beginning tomorrow. For now, we will note the Judge's conclusion regarding the evidence presented at Thompson's Bar trial, as she definitely knows Jack:

The Florida Bar has recommended disbarment for a period of ten (10) years. This Court respectfully declines to follow the Bar’s recommendation... This case involves factual findings of cumulative misconduct, a repeated pattern of behavior relentlessly forced upon numerous unconnected individuals, a total lack of remorse or even slight acknowledgement of inappropriate conduct... 

 

Additionally, the Court is taking into consideration a review of the Respondent’s conduct not only as proven by the evidence, but by what this Court has witnessed of the Respondent’s behavior throughout the eighteen (18) months of litigation. The undersigned finds no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the Respondent is amenable to rehabilitation, or even remotely appreciates the basis upon which a need or purpose for such rehabilitation is warranted...

  

Over a very extended period of time involving a number of totally unrelated cases and individuals, the Respondent has demonstrated a pattern of conduct to strike out harshly, extensively, repeatedly and willfully to simply try to bring as much difficulty, distraction and anguish to those he considers in opposition to his causes. He does not proceed within the guidelines of appropriate professional behavior, but rather uses other means available to intimidate, harass, or bring public disrepute to those whom he perceives oppose him.

 

Thus, after careful consideration of the underlying facts in the instant cases, together with the Florida Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, the applicable aggravating and mitigating factors and the precedent case law, this Court makes the following recommendations for John Bruce Thompson:

A. Permanent disbarment, with no leave to reapply for admission.
B. Disciplinary costs currently totaling $43,675.35.

This story is evolving. Here's what we know so far...

Jack Thompson began circulating e-mails a short while ago claiming that Judge Dava Tunis (left), the referee in his November, 2007 trial on ethics charges brought by the Florida Bar, has recommended that he be disbarred for life.

As in forever...

In May, GamePolitics broke the news that Judge Tunis had recommended to the Florida Supreme Court that Thompson be found guilty on 27 of 31 counts of professional misconduct.

In June, Florida Bar prosecutors requested a 10-year "enhanced" disbarment for the controversial attorney, who stormed out of the hearing. 

Tunis had until September 5th to provide her final report to the Florida Supreme Court, which will make the ultimate determination of Thompson's professional fate. Apparently the judge has finished her task ahead of schedule.

We are presently working on confirming Thompson's claim as well as obtaining a copy of Judge Tunis's report. In the meantime, we note that Thompson wrote in an e-mail circulated at 1:12 PM today:

I got the always helpful Dava Tunis’ final Referee’s Report today, recommending a life-time disbarment (my life, not hers).  The Bar only asked for ten years. 

A second e-mail from Thompson to the Florida Supreme Court begins with:

Your Referee down here, Dava Tunis, the one who does not have a federally-mandated loyalty oath even to be on the bench, just today issued her final Referee’s Report in the above matter, and she rejected The Bar’s recommendation of a ten-year disbarment for me and instead is asking you to disbar me permanently with no opportunity ever to apply for reinstatement.

GP: It's important to point out that Judge Tunis is only making a recommendation. Thompson has not been disbarred. Only the Florida Supreme Court can make that determination.

 (more to follow)

While you're waiting, check out all of GP's coverage of the Thompson Bar Trial...

Embattled Miami attorney Jack Thompson filed yet another federal lawsuit against the Florida Bar yesterday.

The far more interesting development, however, is Thompson's allegation that he was denied entry to the federal court building in Miami by U.S. Marshals. In an e-mail court filing this morning, Thompson says that he intends to file a federal civil rights action against Chief Judge Federico Moreno and U.S. Marshal Christina Pharo of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Here is Thompson's version, which also includes additional information on the cautionary visit paid to his residence by a pair of U.S. Marshals last month (a story broken by GamePolitics):

The [US Marshal and the Chief Judge] have undertaken to surveil me and then harass me because of my whistle-blowing...  The two Deputy Marshals who came to my home on June 17... told me that they have been monitoring me for quite sometime because “we have been told you are at the end of your rope and might be a danger to the physical safety of others.” 

 

...When I showed up at the federal courthouse yesterday... the harassment intensified.  When I presented my [ID] I was immediately (not after checking any list) informed that “You have been disbarred.”  I pointed out to the Deputy Marshal that that was news to me...  It is absolutely patently clear that these people were waiting for me.

 

The Deputy Marshall, Willie Bell, then proceeded to berate me when I asked why I was not allowed to enter a public place, the Clerk’s Office, after passing through all of the security scanners, etc.  He told me, “You just want an audience Mr. Thompson.”  I informed him, “No, I simply want to file a civil complaint in the Clerk’s Office.”

 

Mr. Bell, who apparently was instructed to harass me rather than just accompany me... continued to berate me personally, and he trapped me in the elevator to further harass me, which detention constituted a false imprisonment. 

Additional details of the incident (from Thompson's perspective) are to be found in a document filed with the U.S. District Court by Thompson yesterday:

When plaintiff showed up at the federal courthouse today... he was met by federal Deputy Marshals who... informed him that he could not enter the building alone because “Mr. Thompson, you have been disbarred.”

 

...Deputy Marshal (or whatever his title might be) Mr. Willie Bell told Thompson that he would be escorted to the clerk’s office for security reasons...

 

Mr. Bell then proceeded to berate Thompson... but in doing so Mr. Bell made it clear that his job was not just to escort Thompson... His job was to harass Thompson and make the filing of this complaint just about as difficult as it could be... 

 

...the incredible rudeness and extra-legal assigned duties of the US Marshal’s Mr. Bell makes it clear that some communications of some kind have emanated downward from the Chief Judge to the US Marshal... which has “poisoned the well” of this entire federal district court. It is not paranoia to assert such a thing... somebody who is in charge of this federal district court wants to mess with Jack Thompson...

Thompson writes that he is seeking $10 million dollars for the new claim.

GP: Thompson is playing a dangerous hand. While he claims that a conspiracy against him is afoot, it now seems clear that his behavior has some officials concerned that he is a potential security risk. In this regard we note Thompson's own version of a comment he claims was made by U.S. Marshals who paid him a visit last month: We have been told you are at the end of your rope and might be a danger to the physical safety of others.

Funniest Line: Since Mr. Bell apparently had to share an elevator with Thompson while escorting him to the 8th floor, Thompson claims this is "false imprisonment."
 

Jack Thompson is a hero.

At least, that's the word from America's Freedom Festival, an event taking place in Provo, Utah this week. As reported by the Deseret News:

America's Freedom Festival at Provo honored four individuals with 2008 Freedom Awards Wednesday night... The honorees... personified some or all of the festival's four traditional values of family, freedom, God and country...

 

A lawyer dedicated to protecting children from violence, obscenity and pornography in the media, Jack Thompson was honored especially for his defense and support of families.

 

Thompson... said that while his life has been filled with persecution and ridicule, he would go back and do it all over again, with even more fervor than before.

Now, Utah County, where the festival takes place, is an extremely conservative corner of the United States. So it is perhaps understandable that organizers there value Thompson's conservative Christian agenda. That's their call.

However, to consider Thompson only on his values crusade ignores a troubling list of negatives that stretches from Orem to Salt Lake City. Consider that this "American hero":

• has been recommended for a 10-year disbarment by the Florida Bar
• has been judged guilty of 27 ethical offenses by a Florida judge, who is sending her recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court
• the 27 offenses include things like: "Knowingly making a false statement", "Engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation" and " Engaging in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice"
• may no longer submit filings to the Florida Supreme Court, in part because he included porn pictures in a motion (and NOT in a pornography case)
• included gay porn pictures in a federal court filing (also not a pornography case)
• received a cautionary visit from the U.S. Marshals following a federal court filing in which he wrote "...enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point..."
• called for the impeachment of Utah's Republican Attorney General when the AG suggested that a video game bill written by Thompson would be unconstitutional

These items are strictly a matter of record, and do not include Thompson's strident cultural rhetoric (with which one may or may not agree) or his penchant for sheer vitriol. Moreover, Thompson himself has written that he expects to be disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court.

There seem to be two possibilities here. One is that the selection committee did not conduct due diligence on its nominee. The other is that they just didn't care. Perhaps the committee was aware of Thompson's issues but chose to believe that they are part of some vast cultural conspiracy against him waged by liberals, the video game industry, the Florida Bar, Florida Supreme Court, US District Court, gays, shock radio, the Republican Blank-Rome law firm, various judges, the Alabama Bar, etc. 

But at some point the idea of a conspiracy that large becomes silly. What's happening to Thompson now is more like a judicial consensus on the man's behavior.

How did America's Freedom Festival fail to see that?

GP: We've made several attempts in recent weeks to get an explanation from the committee as to why Thompson was chosen for the award, but got little more than the fact that he was nominated and ultimately selected. That lack of openness is especially troubling in light of the fact Utah County's government is the sponsor of the award event (i.e. - the taxpayers footed the bill for this award).

More local coverage in the Provo Herald-Extra...

Dr. David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family, is the subject of an  interview in the July issue of Game Informer.

The politically-connected Walsh, whose organization delivers its Annual Video Game Report Card each holiday season, is described by the magazine as "one of gaming's most thoughtful and reasoned critics." He dishes on a number of topics, including:

• ESRB ratings (watchdog-ish, cautiously supportive)
• his criticism of the Grand Theft Childhood book (disagrees with its premise)
• his thoughts on video game legislation (opposes censorship)
• Jack Thompson (publicly distanced himself from Thompson)

Regarding legislation, Walsh told GI:

I'm not in favor of censorship. Once we delegate to the government what we can and can't say and freedom of expression - and video games are a form of expression - that's a very slippery slope. I think government can have a role. I think the role they've been playing is the "bully pulpit" to raise awareness.

As to Thompson, Walsh said:

Extreme positions create a lot of heat but very little light. Television and talk radio love extreme positions. So there are folks out there who do not hesitate to take positions that they can't defend. You get the these food fights going on that talk radio loves, but don't really advance our knowledge and understanding whatsoever. It got to the point where I had to publlcily distance myself from Jack Thompson. 

Distance himself, indeed.

The high-profile split with Thompson came in October, 2005. The story was broken by GamePolitics, and set Internet tongues wagging for days. Read Walsh's letter breaking ties with Thompson here.

GamePolitics reported on a pair of tempests involving Grand Theft Auto IV this week.

First came Wednesday's report on shoot-from-the-lip comments attributed to Connecticut State Sen. Gayle Slossberg (D), who apparently used the terms Grand Theft Auto IV, rape, legislation and sociopaths [as in GTA gamers are...] in a rant that she only thought was off-the-record.

Oops...

A day later, cops in Nassau County, New York busted six teenagers for a bat-swinging, crowbar-wielding rampage that one of them apparently said was inspired by Nico Bellic, protagonist of GTA IV.

The week's happenings - in particular their sizeable publicity potential - were not lost on GTA-hatin' attorney Jack Thompson, who has waded into both situations with press releases blazing.

First, Thompson dashed off a breathless paean to Sen. Slossberg:

I commend you for your concerns about the Grand Theft Auto games.  I have been on 60 Minutes about the killing of police officers by teens who train on the game to do so.  I have addressed NOW in New York about the targeting of women by the game.
 
I do not believe there is a "rape" in the game, unless it is in a mission that has yet been discovered (that is possible), but there is plenty in the game by way of forced sex, killing of women after sex, and murdering police officers that must be addressed.  I am, for better or worse, the leader of the effort against this game, and if you saw the New York Post yesterday, a gang of teens went on a crime spree on Long Island in acting out the game!  Please contact me asap, and I can help on this.
 

Miami Jack, please explain how there is no rape in the game, but there is "forced sex"?

The likely-to-be-disbarred barrister also weighed in on the Nassau Six, cc'ing GP on an exchange with someone at G4TV. Not surprisingly, the camera-cravin' Thompson hopes to grab some air time for his mug:

...G4TV, as usual, gets it wrong.  Why am I not suprised?  The headline on this story is ridiculous.  The "hoods" are not the ones blaming the game.  The cops are!  Note this from Detective Cote: "These teens have difficulty separating fact from fiction, fantasy from reality . . . It was quite alarming." 

 

...Thus, Cote has handed all of the defendants a "video game defense."  It will be used.  How do I know?  Wouldn't you like to know.
 
I think it is time for Jack Thompson to be back on G4TV, don't you all think.  There's so much disinformation on the channel and so little time to correct it all.  Somebody tell Kevin to get off his lazy butt and give me a call...  
 
 

A pair of U.S. Marshals were apparently dispatched to Jack Thompson's house today.

The controversial attorney complained about the visit from the law enforcement officials in a filing with the U.S. District Court in Miami. Among the U.S. Marshals' duties are providing security for federal courthouses.

Although the purpose of the marshals' visit is not entirely clear, judging from Thompson's tone, it seems that they carried a warning of sorts. In wake of the visit, Thompson charged that he is being harassed by the Justice Department. The embattled attorney wrote to Chief Judge Federico Moreno:

I was visited today by two U.S. Marshals who were nice gentlemen, and very professional and courteous in their dealings with me.  My complaint is not with them...

 

I have been asking the Justice Department simply to meet with me about [the video game industry's] criminal targeting of me for harm...  Our US Attorney here has obstructed that effort... Instead of being afforded the Justice Department investigation to which I am entitled, I get today harassment from that same Justice Department...

 

When you and the Justice Department dispatch U.S. Marshals to my home because of a letter I wrote you last week complaining about misconduct by District Court Judges here in the Southern District, the purpose of that visit was  to intimidate and harass me...

 

The notion that I pose some sort of physical threat to you or to the judiciary or to anyone else down here is a cruel joke.  The two Marshals said, “If you had actually hand-delivered the letter to Judge Moreno, we would be concerned.”  To that I said, “But I did.  I did that last week because the gentlemen at the metal detectors would not deliver it, and THEY TOLD ME TO DELIVER IT TO YOU.  I buzzed into  your inner offices on the thirteenth floor, and I politely handed the letter to your clerk, who politely took it.

 

If I were a danger to anyone, that would have been the time for me to have proven it, right?  In fact, I have never threatened anyone in my entire life, and you know that, and the Marshals said they knew that.  They were apologetic about being dispatched to my home.  This is outrageous, Judge.  Simply outrageous.   

With his legal career hanging by a very slender thread, controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson is apparently considering a move into politics.

The news comes by way of a lengthy Thompson appearance on The Justice Hour, a local Florida radio program. Although Thompson was a guest on Memorial Day, we didn't have a chance to catch the show until this morning. While his appearance is mostly standard-issue Thompson rhetoric, the embattled attorney did let slip one startling piece of information.

Thompson, a Republican, is eyeing a run for the Florida legislature. He made the revelation while answering a caller's question about immigration. Here's the quote:

...My hope is that maybe one day I'll be in that legislature and sponsor and get through certain things we can do at the state level about [immigration]...

Listen to the excerpt here...

If he does run for the Florida legislature, it won't be Thompson's first political campaign. In 1988, Thompson ran unsuccessfully against Janet Reno for the position of Dade County State Attorney.

In 2006 Thompson announced that he would run against Judge Ronald Friedman, following Friedman's dismissal of Thompson's attempt to have controversial Rockstar game Bully declared a public nuisance. The run against Friedman never came about, however.

On the other hand, Thompson seemed to nix any political aspirations in a 2005 interview with GamePolitics:

I ran against Janet Reno in 1988. If I ever ran for anything again I'd need a divorce lawyer. I got that out of my system...

The Daily Business Review has the audio of Jack Thompson storming out of last week's sanctions hearing before Judge Dava Tunis.

GamePolitics posted the transcript of the hearing yesterday.

 Via: Overlawyered

In March of this year GamePolitics serialized the courtroom transcripts of Jack Thompson's Florida Bar trial. The response was overwhelming.

Based on that, we knew GP readers would be interested in reading the transcript of last Wednesday's sanctions hearing before Judge Dava Tunis - the one that Thompson stormed out of and in which the Bar recommended that the 56-year-old Thompson be disbarred for a minimum of ten years.

So we broke open the GP piggy bank and purchased a copy from the court reporter.

To set the scene (in case you haven't been following the Florida Bar vs. John B. Thompson saga): Judge Tunis, who was selected by the Florida Supreme Court to preside over the Bar trial and who recently recommended to the Court that Thompson be found guilty of 27 violations of professional misconduct, scheduled last week's hearing to hear arguments from both Thompson and the Florida Bar concerning possible sanctions. Judge Tunis has until September 3rd to provide her final report to the Florida Supreme Court, which will make the final determination of Thompson's fate.

(GP: The transcript that follows is abridged where noted)

JUDGE = Judge Dava Tunis

JT = Jack Thompson

TUMA = Florida Bar prosecutor Sheila Tuma

JUDGE: Good afternoon, everybody... I trust everyone has some water at their table?... so, for the record, we are here on the matter of the Florida Bar versus John Bruce Thompson... If all the lawyers would like to announce their presence for the record.

TUMA: Sheila Tuma, counsel for the Florida Bar

JT: Jack Thompson, presently a lawyer.

JUDGE: ...Miss Tuma, my understanding would be that, pursuant to the rules, you would be going first?

JT: Your Honor, may I please--

TUMA: Yes.

JT: -- so that I can state at the appropriate time, which would be now, my objections to this proceeding on the record?

JUDGE: And you have done so through writing --

JT: No. I have to do it here, Judge.

JUDGE: Go right ahead.

JT: May I move the podium?

JUDGE: No. Just everybody leave it in one spot. That's the way we usually do it in the courtroom.

JT: Can we change that one spot? No?

JUDGE: I'd prefer that you leave it right there.

JT: Nice. Can I pivot it?

JUDGE: Is that what you'd like, sir?

JT: I'm asking you.

JUDGE: Okay. That's fine.

Is controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson a freedom fighter?

While the Florida Bar argued last week that the anti-game activist should be disbarred for a minimum of ten years, Thompson is scheduled to be honored at America's Freedom Festival on July 2nd in Provo, Utah. While information is sketchy, the web page for the Freedom Awards describes them as intended:

...to honor individuals who have espoused the cause of freedom throughout the world.

In light of his current legal difficulties, Thompson is an interesting choice, to say the least. His selection could potentially stir up some local controversy in Utah, as well. In 2007 Thompson called for the indictment of the state's Republican Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, over Shurtleff's recommendation that a Thompson-authored video game law then under consideration in the legislature was unconstitutional.

GamePolitics has made three attempts in recent weeks to contact event organizers in order to determine who submitted Thompson for the award and on what basis. Although we have yet to receive a response, we know that our e-mail was viewed by chairperson Vicki Garbutt since she forwarded a copy to Thompson on May 28th, inquiring about our "agenda." Thompson forwarded the e-mail back to us the following day with the warning, "Careful, Dennis."

The awards dinner is sponsored by Utah County, described as "the most Republican county in the most Republican state in the United States."

In the past, Garbutt has explained the Freedom Award as follows:

It's what gets at the heart of what we talk about with freedom — celebrating the individuals who sacrifice for their own freedom and the freedom of others.

Thompson has forwarded a copy of what appears to be his page from the event program. However, it offers few specifics regarding his selection.

UPDATE: I should point out that it's not my intent to frame this story as any type of commentary on Republicans. Thompson has certainly had his issues with Republicans in Florida and elsewhere (as I noted, he was ridiculously harsh in his criticism of Utah's A.G. Shurtleff, a Republican).