lawyer who tried to ban video games

by Milford Witting 6 min read

John Bruce Thompson

Did the Supreme Court just ban the sale of violent video games?

Attorney Jack Thompson And His Personal Vendetta Against Video Games We had an extended conversation with one of the most dangerous men in gaming history. Brock Wilbur

Who is the lawyer that sued Facebook over video games?

Jun 27, 2011 · Supreme Court rejects California ban on violent video games By Ryan Fleming June 27, 2011 Classen Rafael/Getty Images In a 7-2 ruling today, the Supreme Court upheld a Federal Appeals Court ruling...

Are video games protected by the First Amendment?

Jun 27, 2011 · Justice Antonin Scalia., writing for five justices in the majority in the video games decision, Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, No. 08-1448, said the court refused to …

Is it illegal to rent violent video games in California?

Feb 24, 2021 · According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a state lawmaker in Illinois, Rep. Marcus Evans, has introduced legislation to ban the sale of violent games. The …

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What is Jack Thompson known for?

He’s known, in certain circles, for his personal crusade to bring down the violent video game world. There’s been a lot written about Thompson’s rise to, and fall from, infamy, but we decided to talk to the man himself. Most pronounced in his history ...

How many shots did a 13 year old shoot?

That’s an excellent question. In the facts of the case, a 13 year old kid fires eight shots and all of them hit their targets. Kill shots from 30 feet or more. Amazing shooting. When the cops cuffed him, they asked why he did it and his answer was “ The Basketball Diaries ”. So that wasn’t just a movie we grabbed at random. At the wrongful death trial, we brought a world renowned child psychologist who testified that, if not for the influence of this movie and the game Doom, Michael Carneal [the shooter] would never have been capable of any of this.

Who is the Democrat who banned video games?

Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., a Democrat, has introduced a bill that would amend a preexisting law banning certain video games from being sold to minors. His amendment would ban the sale of games with subject matter including "motor vehicle theft with a driver or passenger present," according to the Chicago Sun Times .

Is Grand Theft Auto banned in Illinois?

Illinois lawmaker seeks ban of Grand Theft Auto game following rise in carjackings. An Illinois state lawmaker wants to ban the sale of violent video games, including Grand Theft Auto, as carjackings have increased in the state. Rep. Marcus Evans Jr., a Democrat, has introduced a bill that would amend a preexisting law banning certain video games ...

Supreme Court: Government Cannot Ban Violent Video Games For Children

In a highly anticipated opinion, the Supreme Court today struck down a California law that attempted to ban the sale or rental of “violent” video games to children:

The Supreme Court struck down a ban on the sale of violent video games to children, a victory for the First Amendment and parental authority

In a highly anticipated opinion, the Supreme Court today struck down a California law that attempted to ban the sale or rental of “violent” video games to children:

What is the bill that prohibits video games from being sold to minors?

Marcus Evans Jr. has filed an amendment to a 2012 law that prevents some video games from being sold to minors. House Bill 3531 would amend that law, prohibiting the sale and rental of all “violent video games” in Illinois.

When did the Supreme Court rule that video games are free speech?

In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court said video games are free speech, ending a California law that banned the sale of violent titles to minors.

Is there a ban on violent games in Illinois?

It appears that President Biden isn’t a fan, either. Banning violent games in Illinois won’t be easy.

Did the families of the victims of the shooting sue game companies?

Families of those who lost their lives in the shooting tried to sue several game companies, but the suit was dismissed. Despite numerous studies showing no links between violent games and violent behavior, they are still demonized for many of society’s problems.

Does Illinois have a COD ban?

The amendment would prohibit CoD games being sold in Illinois. The amendments also want to change the definition of “serious physical harm” to include carjacking. In Chicago, there were 218 incidents of carjacking reported to police throughout January.

Is GTA V banned in Illinois?

A democratic state representative in Illinois wants titles such as Grand Theft Auto V banned from sale, claiming they are behind a spate of carjackings and violent crimes in Chicago and elsewhere in the state.

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The Neil Rogers Show

  • In 1988, Thompson became involved in a feud with WIOD Radio host Neil Rogers, after Thompson was instrumental in persuading the FCC to fine WIOD $10,000 for airing such parody songs as "Boys Want Sex in the Morning" on Rogers' show.Thompson also sued the station for violating a …
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Janet Reno

  • Thompson first met Janet Reno in November 1975, when he applied for a job as an assistant state's attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida, but was not hired. In 1988, he ran for prosecutor against then-incumbent Dade County State Attorney Janet Reno, after she had declined his request to prosecute Neil Rogers. Thompson gave Reno a letter at a campaign event requesting …
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Rap Music

  • Thompson came to national prominence in the controversy over 2 Live Crew's As Nasty As They Wanna Be album. (Luke Skyywalker Records, the company of 2 Live Crew's Luther Campbell, had previously released a record supporting Reno in her race against Thompson.) On January 1, 1990, he wrote to Martinez and Reno asking them to investigate whether the album violated Florida ob…
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Video Games

  • Thompson has heavily criticized a number of video games and campaigned against their producers and distributors. His basic argument is that violent video games have repeatedly been used by teenagers as "murder simulators" to rehearse violent plans. He has pointed to alleged connections between such games and a number of school massacres. According to Thompson…
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The Howard Stern Show

  • In 2004, Thompson helped get Howard Stern's show taken off a radio station in Orlando, Florida by filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. Thompson objected to Stern's use of perceived obscenities on the air. He argued that "Either broadcasters will accept the light harness of decency that has been the law for decades and start cleaning up their acts, or th…
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The Florida Bar

  • Actions against the bar
    In 1993, Thompson asked a Florida judge to declare The Florida Bar unconstitutional. He said that the Bar was engaged in a vendetta against him because of his religious beliefs, which he said conflicted with what he called the Bar's pro-gay, humanist, liberal agenda. He also said that the "…
  • Filings
    In October 2007, then-Chief U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno sealed court documents submitted by Thompson in the Bar case that depicted "gay sex acts." Thompson's submission prompted U.S. District Judge Adalberto Jordan to order Thompson to show cause why his actio…
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Other Activities

  • In 1992, a complaint from Thompson led Florida Secretary of State Jim Smith to withhold a $25,000 grant to the Miami Film Festival; Thompson claimed that the festival was using state money to show pornographic films. In response, Thompson was named an "Art Censor of the Year" by the ACLU. The next month, Thompson faced disbarment over allegations that he lied w…
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See Also

External Links

  1. The Florida Bar's Member page of John Bruce Thompson
  2. Jack Thompson versus Adam Sessler on G4's Attack of the Show!
  3. Jack Thompson vs Paul Levinson on CNBC
  4. Jack Thompson at IMDb
See more on en.wikipedia.org