Though the legislation passed the Senate and House of Representatives with much political support, GamePolitics reports that Utah governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. has vetoed a controversial amendment to the state's "Truth in Advertising Act."

Drafted with the help of outspoken anti-game activist Jack Thompson, the legislation would have seen stores fined if they established, advertised and then violated a policy to keep goods with age recommendations--games, movies, etc.--out of minor's hands. Read more »

Entertainment Software Rating Board president Patricia Vance has penned an open letter to Utah citizens, urging them to oppose legislation that would see retailers fined if they establish and then break a policy for not selling mature content to minors.

The bill, drafted with the help of renowned anti-game activist Jack Thompson, would amend Utah's "Truth in Advertising Act" to cover "a good or service labeled with an age restriction or recommendation," such as movies and video games. Read more »

I didn't think we'd be running any more Jack Thompson stories after the outspoken game-hating attorney was permanently disbarred, but this one is too good to pass up.

Since his disbarment, Thompson has reportedly purchased stock in Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive in order to lead a stockholder revolt against chairman Strauss Zelnick. In a letter earlier this year, Thompson compared him to a Hitler youth. Read more »

The legal career of anti-game crusader Jack Thompson is to come to an end.

It was previously reported that Thompson was recommended a ten-year "enhanced disbarment" from the Florida Bar in connection to his 27 guilty counts of misconduct. It turns out that the recommendation was later upgraded by the Bar to full-blown permanent disbarment and the court presiding over Thompson's case concurred, according to Kotaku. Read more »

Infamous anti-game litigator Jack Thompson walked out of his scheduled disciplinary hearing before the Florida Bar this afternoon, after which the Bar recommended an "enhanced disbarment" prohibiting the attorney from practicing law for ten years.

According to Kotaku, Thompson left the courtroom after saying that presiding Judge Dava Tunis did not have the authority to hear his case, and filed a 4,500 word objection to the hearing prior to his departure. The hearing continued without Thompson, after which the Florida Bar recommended enhanced disbarment. Read more »

The judge presiding over infamous anti-game litigator Jack Thompson has recommended that the attorney be found guilty of 27 counts of misconduct in Thompson's recent Florida Bar trial, GamePolitics reports.

Florida Judge Dava Tunis issued recommendations of guilt related to Thompson's participation in several video game-related cases such as Strickland v. Sony, in which the attorney represented families of two police officers and a dispatcher killed by Devin Moore, reputed Grand Theft Auto fan. Read more »

Protesting the release of Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360) on April 29, outspoken game critic Jack Thompson (pictured left) has written a letter addressed to the mother of Take-Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick.

Take-Two Interactive owns Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar and is publishing the upcoming title. The letter was delivered to Strauss Zelnick's lawyer, per a past settlement that only allows Thompson to communicate with Take-Two via counsel. Read more »

Howdy kids, how is that hump-day treating you? So for many Shackers, the big news yesterday was the announcement of QuakeCon 2008. I for one can only hope we're lucky enough to have another Mary Kay convention simultaneously at the hotel. Shackmeet?

In other news, Faylor interviewed Tanya Jessen from Epic, and managed to cover a pretty interesting array of topics. And today we have news of notable anti-game activist Jack Thompson, as always, keeping it classy.

Read more »

New York governor Eliot Spitzer is sad.

Why? Turns out the governor up and got himself implicated in a prostitution ring scandal, wherein ladies of the night were hired for up to $3,100 an hour. Spitzer made a statement this morning, saying that he "acted in way that violates his obligation to his family," but did not elaborate on his involvement or answer questions. Read more »

Just when you thought he was out of the spotlight, the creative duo from webcomic Penny Arcade have pulled him back in. In an effort to squelch the rhetoric of anti-game activist Jack Thompson on their own stage, Penny Arcade writer Jerry Holkins and illustrator Mike Krahulik had covertly invited the Florida lawyer to a formal debate during the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo in August. Now a press release written by Thompson has declined the offer based on misgivings over the secrecy of the event, according to a report by GamePolitics. "Penny Arcade said that it was concerned that too many people would want to go if word got out too widely that Thompson would be at the event," Thompson alleged in the letter. "One wonders what the real reason for the news blackout by Penny Arcade is." GamePolitics reports that negotiations had been going on behind the scenes for days, with the PA crew planning to announce the debate an hour beforehand for "security reasons." Thomspon was apparently incensed at the idea, labeling it as hypocritical. "You guys are the ones who think that even adult entertainment materials should be marketed and sold to children because of "freedom of expression," and yet I am not allowed to tell media and others of this debate?" he remarked, apparently referring to video games as "adult entertainment materials." "I've been in far more hostile environs than what you offer. You all need to grow a pair of what a kid can cut off in Manhunt 2," Thompson continued. The news of the failed debate coincides with Thompson's recent attempt to rally government officials in opposition of Rockstar Games' upcoming title Manhunt 2 (Wii, PS2, PSP). The Nintendo Wii version of Manhunt 2 will reportedly allow players to commit murders using the Wii remote by performing a series of gestures which will execute gruesome special attacks. Thompson last month demanded that fast food chain Wendy's halt its promotion of Nintendo Wii products due to the game's content. In a letter to Florida governor Charlie Crist (R), Thompson cited studies done at Harvard and Indiana University while claiming that "hard neurobiological science proves that Manhunt 2, with its hyperviolent content and motion capture technology on Wii, will be a teen murder simulator like the world has never seen." A study by an Indiana University group last year found that children who play violent video games show a reduced activation in prefrontal areas of the brain when compared to kids playing non-violent alternatives. The prefrontal area of the brain is associated with inhibition, concentration and self-control. Researchers also found a comparative rise in amygdala activity, which is closely linked to emotional arousal. Despite the findings, experts classified the study as preliminary. "This is early evidence for a biological change supporting other research on violent video games," said David S. Bickham, a research scientist the Harvard School of Public Health. "This is a first step in this kind of research, but it isn't conclusive." Although governor Crist has so far declined to comment on the subject, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum has apparently given Thompson an ear. In a yet-to-air, on-camera interview with Fox News--which also features a segment with Thompson--McCollum reportedly expressed concern over the game's content. A GamePolitics source claimed that the Wii version of the game is being singled out. "That's where they're kicking up their heels," the source said. "Attorney General Bill McCollum is concerned about any games which may instill violence in children, particularly games that encourage children to engage in violent behavior, even in simulation," read a comment issued to GamePolitics by McCollum's press secretary. "He believes it is important to help protect children from influences which may introduce violence into their lives and stresses the importance of parental involvement in the efforts to keep these influences out of our homes and away from our families." Another anonymous GamePolitics source indicated that Nintendo specifically sought out a third-party deal for Manhunt 2 due to its mature content. "[Nintendo exec] Reggie [Fils-Aime] spent a fair amount of time soliciting [former Take Two CEO] Paul Eibeler to get the game on the Wii," the source stated. "Reggie did it to introduce more M-rated content, as he was afraid too many people would pigeon-hole [the Wii] as a kid machine."

Read more »

Notorious video game-targeting attorney Jack Thompson (pictured left) has demanded that fast food chain Wendy's cancel its promotional tie-in themed around Nintendo's Wii console, due to the upcoming release of Rockstar Toronto's upcoming game Manhunt 2 on Wii. The Wii promotion, which according to the official Wendy's site is "coming soon," features toys themed around the Wii console itself as well as Nintendo-published games such as Wii Sports and Excite Truck. Manhunt 2, to be published by Rockstar Games this July on Wii, PlayStation 2, and PSP, has no connection to the program. In a letter sent from Thompson to Wendy's CEO Kerri Anderson and forwarded to various gaming news outlets, Thompson demands that Wendy's "cancel the Wii Kids' Meal promotion immediately." According to Thompson, the mere existence of Manhunt 2 on the Wii platform results in a high level of "inappropriateness of the above upcoming promotion at Wendy's." Thompson has previously claimed that Rockstar North's original Manhunt (PS2, Xbox, PC) has directly influenced violent crime. This March, publisher Take-Two Interactive pre-emptively sued Thompson under the expectation that Thompson would take legal action against Take-Two for Manhunt 2. Last month, the parties reached a settlement. "[Manhunt 2] will feature, according to video game news sites, beheadings with hatchets, bludgeonings with baseball bats, the jamming of syringes into eyeballs, cutting opponents' testicles off, and 'environtmental [sic] kills' in which common objects in the field of vision, such as electrical cords to strangle victims," reads the letter addressed to Anderson. "One pro-video game industry site is referring to Manhunt 2 as a 'true murder simulator' when played on Wii." Thompson, who bafflingly refers to the Wii as a "kid-friendly...game platform," cites a 2005 American Psychological Association report linking video game play to aggression in teens, claiming that with its motion-sensitive controller the Wii will exacerbate that existing alleged causal relationship. "A dear friend of mine worked for Wendy's and with Dave Thomas closely for years," wrote Thompson. "From that I know that Dave Thomas never would have tolerated the use of Wendy's good name to promote Nintendo's Wii, not with this game available on the Wii platform."

Read more »

Have a good weekend girls. Make sure and practice being awesome. I would google Jack Thompson or someone like that if you're at a loss trying to figure out what awesome is.

• Wacky new building
• Possible funny business on pet food chemicals
• Inventors like money
• MySpace news?
• Dell realize Vista is hot just yet
• Super tech family

Lastly, a little religious revision for ya. No more babies in limbo becase uh... the bible changed? No wait, its changing because we dont like it!

Read more »

Following up Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive's pre-emptive legal action against lawyer Jack Thompson and his resulting countersuit, the two rivals have reached an agreement to drop all charges against one another. According to the terms of the settlement posted by GamePolitics, Thompson will no longer pursue or threaten legal action to restrict sales of Take-Two games. Nor may Thompson accuse Take-Two or any business partners of wrongdoing for distributing said product--in other words, he can not threaten to sue a retailer for carrying Take-Two's games. Any future communication between Thompson and Take-Two will be mediated by either the counsel of record or Take-Two's general counsel. Perhaps most entertaining of all, the settlement also means Thompson won't face jail time. Previously, Take-Two had submitted a petition for Thompson to prove why he should not be held in contempt, with a hearing that was scheduled for April 20. However, Thompson retains the right to publicly criticize the content or distribution of any Take-Two product. He may also participate in any legal action others may bring against the publisher, provided the charges specify individual harm.

Read more »

In a rather amusing move given the history between Take-Two Interactive and Jack Thompson, Game Politics reports that the Grand Theft Auto publisher has pre-emptively sued Thompson before the Miami-based lawyer has a chance to sue Take-Two first over Rockstar London's Manhunt 2 (PS2, Wii, PSP, PC) and Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360). Thompson, who has already alluded to his intent to block the sale of Manhunt 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV, is now the subject of a Florida petition intending to block him from doing just that. Take-Two also seeks from Thompson the recovery of legal fees incurred during the proceedings. "Thompson has a history of making multiple threats of legal action, whether substantiated or not, both against [Take-Two] as well as the retailers who purchase the video games and offer them for sale to the public," read's Take-Two's petition to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. "Thompson has made such threats again in connection with Manhunt 2 and GTAIV." Last year, the lawyer attempted to block the sale of Bully in Florida on the basis of the state's public nuisance law, but his attempt was struck down by the presiding judge, who evaluated the game's content. In related news, Thompson appears to be taking credit for the recently reported shareholder action expected to occur during Take-Two's upcoming shareholder meeting next week. CEO Paul Eibeler, a long time nemesis of Thompson, is expected to be removed from his position. Thompson has big hopes for the revolt, which he claims is due to his own action in villifying games released by Take-Two-owned Rockstar Games. "So successful has Thompson been in exposing the fraud and criminal conduct of Take-Two on the national stage," he wrote to the Florida Supreme Court while also denouncing Take-Two's current suit, "that a corporate coup by 46% of Take-TwoÂ’s shareholders is set for March 23, which nearly all financial analysts... are predicting will be successful and which will result in the firing of all Take-Two management and the entire board."

Read more »

Miami-based attorney Jack Thompson has been out of the headlines for a couple months, but the eagle-eyed GamePolitics reported this weekend that the moral crusader is currently set to appear at a disciplinary hearing conducted by the Florida Supreme Court. The hearing will look into five counts of professional misconduct filed by the Florida Bar, three of which stem from Thompson's actions during one of his highly publicized crusades against video games, 2005's Strickland vs. Sony. That case dealt with the infamous killing of two Alabama police officers by an 18-year-old--who was found guilty--allegedly inspired by Grand Theft Auto. Thompson's role in the incident was representing families of the victims in a case against numerous video game publishers and retailers for bringing Grand Theft Auto to market. In 2005, citing Thompson's actions and manner, the presiding judge forced Thompson's removal from the case and referred him to the Alabama Bar for disciplinary action by revoking his visiting Alabama law license. The Florida Bar then pointed to other examples of Thompson's misconduct prior to the Alabama incident. If the current misconduct charges are upheld, Thompson could face penalties as severe as disbarment. Thompson, responding to GamePolitics' inquiries in typically confident fashion, stated, "The trial isnÂ’t going to happen, however. I have sued The Bar in Circuit Court. ItÂ’s in far more trouble than I am." Previously, Thompson has sued the Florida Bar in a separate incident. Several months ago, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Huck said about the attempt, "Thompson submits nothing beyond wild accusations of a vast conspiracy against him that the Bar is unfairly proceeding against him."

Read more »