UPDATE: Thompson calls on two Senators for help.
August 6, 2005 | 9:17 PM PSTby: Matt Saunderson
UPDATE: Sunday, August 7th, 2005, 1:58 AM Central
It has been confirmed that Jack Thompson had called on two United States Senators for help in "persuading the FBI to act in response to these threats [against my life]."
Thompson asked for help in the form of a letter to Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-NY), and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), which the Advanced Media Network has acquired a copy of:
Dear Senator Clinton and Senator Lieberman:
I have had a number of [computer and] video gamers threaten to kill me in the last few days in the aftermath of the success against Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This is noteworthy in a number of regards:
1. The people threatening to kill me so are doing so in the name of the First Amendment and "freedom of expression" - not mine, of course, just theirs. Don't you love it?
2. The use of death threats in retaliation for my participation in the public square serves to prove, rather convincingly, that the violent video games are having the attitudinal effect that psychologists such as Dr. David Walsh and others who have testified before Congress say they have.
3. None of the "video game media" will report that the gamers are threatening to kill me, although I have asked them to report this phenomenon, as it reveals the validity of the above two points.
I would appreciate any help your respective offices could give me in persuading the FBI to act in response to these threats. I don't think anyone should have to put up with such dangerous nonsense.
Regards, Jack Thompson.
It should be noted that threats against a person's life are not protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Further, sending a death threat to any person is illegal, and can result in jail time. In addition, we are not sure where Mr. Thompson's allegations that the gaming press is refusing to report the fact that there are threats against his life being made are coming from. The Advanced Media Network, as well as other media outlets, have indeed published reports of the threats against Thompson's life. Our efforts to contact Thompson for comment, however, still have been futile. We'll keep you updated.
ORIGINAL STORY
Recently, Attorney Jack Thompson has been receiving threats from various not-yet-identified persons threatening to kill or harm him. Many of these e-mails have been quite disrespectful of Mr. Thompson, a Miami, Florida Attorney who has recently been on the offensive against violent or sexually explicit games like GTA: San Andreas, Killer 7 (news story), the upcoming Bully (news story), and even T-rated The Sims 2 (news story).
One E-mail, which was forwarded to the site GameSpot used multiple profanities and the author claimed that he/she would kill Thompson:
For being a total [expletive] [expletive]. I think video games [are] freaking awesome, and they are my entire life, and for you to insult them, is like telling me my life is totally worthless. For this, sir, I AM GOING TO [expletive] KILL YOU!!!
In another E-mail, a person stated that they would continue to send Thompson e-mails "saying the same thing," until Thompson was shot (with a gun) to death in a painful manner. Yet another E-mail accused Thompson of being a pedophile, and a homosexual. The author then added, "I hate you, and the world would be a better place if you were brutally murdered."
Jack Thompson himself has outright confirmed that he has been threatened with death. "People are threatening to kill me," Thompson told GameSpot. When GameSpot said they would look further into the threats and contact the authorities themselves, Thompson replied asking the site's editors the following: "Are you, crazy?" Thompson then wrote, "Either report what I have said, having been provided the emails, or stop bothering me."
According to Thompson, "The FBI is all over these [threats and e-mails]." When the North Miami Beach division of the FBI was contacted, however, a spokesperson could neither confirm nor deny any investigation, and gave a "no comment" to GameStop.
The Advanced Media Network has made attempts to contact Mr. Thompson, but he has failed to reply to our requests. Naturally, we'll let you know if he does give us any comment.
It has been confirmed that Jack Thompson had called on two United States Senators for help in "persuading the FBI to act in response to these threats [against my life]."
Thompson asked for help in the form of a letter to Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-NY), and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), which the Advanced Media Network has acquired a copy of:
Dear Senator Clinton and Senator Lieberman:
I have had a number of [computer and] video gamers threaten to kill me in the last few days in the aftermath of the success against Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This is noteworthy in a number of regards:
1. The people threatening to kill me so are doing so in the name of the First Amendment and "freedom of expression" - not mine, of course, just theirs. Don't you love it?
2. The use of death threats in retaliation for my participation in the public square serves to prove, rather convincingly, that the violent video games are having the attitudinal effect that psychologists such as Dr. David Walsh and others who have testified before Congress say they have.
3. None of the "video game media" will report that the gamers are threatening to kill me, although I have asked them to report this phenomenon, as it reveals the validity of the above two points.
I would appreciate any help your respective offices could give me in persuading the FBI to act in response to these threats. I don't think anyone should have to put up with such dangerous nonsense.
Regards, Jack Thompson.
It should be noted that threats against a person's life are not protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Further, sending a death threat to any person is illegal, and can result in jail time. In addition, we are not sure where Mr. Thompson's allegations that the gaming press is refusing to report the fact that there are threats against his life being made are coming from. The Advanced Media Network, as well as other media outlets, have indeed published reports of the threats against Thompson's life. Our efforts to contact Thompson for comment, however, still have been futile. We'll keep you updated.
ORIGINAL STORY
Recently, Attorney Jack Thompson has been receiving threats from various not-yet-identified persons threatening to kill or harm him. Many of these e-mails have been quite disrespectful of Mr. Thompson, a Miami, Florida Attorney who has recently been on the offensive against violent or sexually explicit games like GTA: San Andreas, Killer 7 (news story), the upcoming Bully (news story), and even T-rated The Sims 2 (news story).
One E-mail, which was forwarded to the site GameSpot used multiple profanities and the author claimed that he/she would kill Thompson:
For being a total [expletive] [expletive]. I think video games [are] freaking awesome, and they are my entire life, and for you to insult them, is like telling me my life is totally worthless. For this, sir, I AM GOING TO [expletive] KILL YOU!!!
In another E-mail, a person stated that they would continue to send Thompson e-mails "saying the same thing," until Thompson was shot (with a gun) to death in a painful manner. Yet another E-mail accused Thompson of being a pedophile, and a homosexual. The author then added, "I hate you, and the world would be a better place if you were brutally murdered."
Jack Thompson himself has outright confirmed that he has been threatened with death. "People are threatening to kill me," Thompson told GameSpot. When GameSpot said they would look further into the threats and contact the authorities themselves, Thompson replied asking the site's editors the following: "Are you, crazy?" Thompson then wrote, "Either report what I have said, having been provided the emails, or stop bothering me."
According to Thompson, "The FBI is all over these [threats and e-mails]." When the North Miami Beach division of the FBI was contacted, however, a spokesperson could neither confirm nor deny any investigation, and gave a "no comment" to GameStop.
The Advanced Media Network has made attempts to contact Mr. Thompson, but he has failed to reply to our requests. Naturally, we'll let you know if he does give us any comment.
source: GameSpot
