Thompson Has Gamer Arrested for Death Threats

Justin Buser · 10-12-2005, 04:30 PM

Quote:

A 16-year-old Texas gamer who threatened to torture and kill antigaming pundit Jack Thompson was arrested earlier today at his high school by the Harris Country Sheriff's Office, according to Thompson, a Florida attorney.

"The specifics of the torture with which Thompson was threatened are so grotesque that they cannot be properly placed in this news release," Thompson wrote in a mass e-mail addressed to news outlets, politicians, and industry groups. "The torture was to end with the shooting of Thompson, as in this teen's favorite games."

The Sheriff's Office public information officer, Lt. John Martin, could not confirm for GameSpot that the child had been arrested because the detective and sergeant assigned to the case had both left for the day. However, he did confirm that the boy had been charged with harassing communication, a misdemeanor offense. Harassing communication can either be a class B misdemeanor with jail time of up to six months and a fine up to $2,000, or a class A misdemeanor if the accused has prior convictions, which would entail up to a year behind bars and a fine of up to $4,000. Martin noted that a sentence might be handled differently because of the accused's status as a minor.

For charges in a harassing communication case to be filed, Martin noted that the burden of proof would be on the complainant (Thompson says he taped the phone call in which the threat was made). Martin also said that whether or not the harassing party actually had the means to carry out a threat was not a determining factor in bringing charges.

"The threshold for accepting charges or declining them is whether or not the complainant was in fear for his life," Martin noted, "not whether or not the complainant had the ability to carry it out. But just making threats would be an offense in itself."

In Thompson's e-mail, the attorney tied the threat to a general campaign against him on the part of the game industry.

"'Shoot the messenger' is the video game industry's strategy," Thompson wrote. "This time, because of the arrest in Texas, it didn't work. It backfired."

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boom!headshot · 10-12-2005, 04:35 PM

he's probably on top of the world right now.he is one of the few people i truly hate.

Justin Buser · 10-12-2005, 04:54 PM

Yeah, Thompson himself sounds like a tosser, but this kid obviously also went about things the wrong way.

Thompson must have one of the biggest hate clubs around on the net I reckon

Razors Edge · 10-12-2005, 04:57 PM

That man is completly insane. Check this out, it's so true.

slipknot666 · 10-12-2005, 04:59 PM

well this kid is now another example he's gunna use thanx alot asshole

ZpYkE · 10-12-2005, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slipknot666

well this kid is now another example he's gunna use thanx alot asshole

I completely agree, now just becus of that hes gonna make more ppl think he is right

Glock 19 · 10-12-2005, 05:56 PM

This is why they have ratings on games because of kid like that goes to show you that kid should not be playing "M" rated games clearly shows he can not handel them.

Cybergig1 · 10-12-2005, 05:56 PM

yeah this kid did more harm than good. Thompson was already losing support because he's basically lost his mind. People were distancing themselves from him. Everything was rolling good to get him out of the headlines and forgotten then we have this 16 year old moron basically do exactly like Thompson said kids would do and give the crackpot some validity. Way to go we should give him a moron of the year award ¬_¬

Morder · 10-12-2005, 06:05 PM

Thomson is a dickhead, but still this is just another example (like slipknot said)

nufan · 10-12-2005, 07:01 PM

fill me in, i have no idea who this thompson bloke is and why he is so hated

Mike · 11-12-2005, 06:12 AM

Quote:

"The specifics of the torture with which Thompson was threatened are so grotesque that they cannot be properly placed in this news release,"

Did that bit make anyone else really really wanna know what he said he'd do?

Also, I have no idea who this thompson bloke is either

ZpYkE · 11-12-2005, 08:40 AM

HE'S THIS GUY, RUNNING A CAMPAING AGAISNT VIDEO GAMES..How crazy is that?!?!?!

Well all he does is shift blame to video games, so basically he makes ppl think that everithing bad in the world is bcus of video games

according to him, it goes like this:

*a voice inside your head goes* "Kill..Kill"

"SATAN IS THAT YOU??"

and the voice answers, "No Its-a mEeEe, mario"

Mike · 11-12-2005, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZpYkE

*a voice inside your head goes* "Kill..Kill"

"SATAN IS THAT YOU??"

and the voice answers, "No Its-a mEeEe, mario"

Its like you've looked into my mind...maaaan

Molneze · 13-12-2005, 01:21 AM

Yea, what a freakin idiot! Now that just going to be fuel to the fire, for Thompson. Kids carrying out video games. I do agree that Violent enough video games should not be sold to minors, but crap like this isn't helping the rest of us, who are mature enough to handle these games as entertainment only.