bloodrayne
08-02-2004, 06:04 AM
MP Backs Family Of 'Video Game Murder Victim'
An MP today called for the Government to back any legal action taken by the family of Stefan Pakeerah over the video game blamed for the brutal murder of their son.
Keith Vaz wrote to the Home Secretary asking him to look at the link between computer games and violent crime following the horrific death of the 14-year-old.
The MP for Leicester East also called for retailers to follow the lead of Dixons and pull Manhunt from their shelves following the murder in a Leicester park.
Giselle Pakeerah, whose son was bludgeoned and stabbed to death by his 17-year-old friend, said she had not come to a decision over whether to sue the game’s manufacturers.
However, the grieving (IRRESPONSIBLE) mother welcomed the MP’s interest in her case, which has attracted international support after Warren Leblanc pleaded guilty to the murder last week.
Mr Vaz told PA News: “I have written to the Home Secretary asking him to look at the link between videos and crime as a matter of urgency.
“I have asked for additional research to be funded in part by the manufacturers themselves in order to see whether or not there is a link between these video games and crimes of violence.
“As regards this particular video game I am calling on other retailers to take the same action as Dixons has done.
“They have cleared this game from the shelves and I think it would be appropriate for others to do the same.
“The family have intimated they are going to sue Sony today so I am calling on the Government to give the family any help they need in their lawsuit.
“These transatlantic legal issues are very difficult. The aid of the British Government is going to be of immense help to them.
“I think this is a very important test case and therefore the Government should give any help they can.”
Mrs Pakeerah, 36, said: “I have not made any decision but I am quite touched by the support that I have had from Keith Vaz and others.
“It means a lot to me and it means a lot to Stefan’s memory as well.”
Stefan Pakeerah was lured to Stokes Wood Park by his older friend, who then beat him repeatedly with a claw hammer and stabbed him again and again.
Leblanc, of Braunstone Frith, Leicester, admitted murder at Leicester Crown Court last week, saying he initially planned to rob the younger boy.
The court heard Leblanc sneaked up behind the youngster before carrying out the brutal attack.
Stefan’s parents said outside court they believed he had been “obsessed” with the violent computer game Manhunt and the murder bore similarities with the game.
The object of the game sees the player earn points for killing people in as gruesome a manner as possible.
A Related Article...
Parents To Sue Makers Of Violent Game
LEGAL action is to be taken against the computer company behind a violent game blamed for inciting a teenager to murder his 14-year-old friend.
Giselle and Patrick Pakeerah, from Leicester, whose son Stefan was stabbed to death, have hired a lawyer to act against Rockstar Games, parent company of Edinburgh-based Rockstar North, which developed Manhunt, the 18-rated virtual-reality killing game.
Retailers such as Dixons, Game and Woolworths have now removed Manhunt from their shelves. Warren Leblanc, 17, who carried out the murder, was said to have been obsessed by the game, in which a man roams a grimy city slaughtering everyone in his path.
The killing methods in Manhunt were echoed by Leblanc, who beat his victim with a claw hammer and stabbed him repeatedly after luring him to a local park in February.
The move follows earlier controversy over another Rockstar game, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), which has been linked by lawyers to a series of violent crimes in the US.
Jack Thompson, a US-based lawyer and campaigner against violent games, is set to take up the legal action after being contacted by Mrs Pakeerah.
He is convinced there is a direct link between games such as Manhunt and the increasing number of teenage killings.
Speaking from Miami, Florida, he said: "We are planning legal action against Rockstar for inciting and training the perpetrator in the wrongful death of Mrs Pakeerah’s son.
"I think this lawsuit will be successful because there is an increasing linkage between violence and these games.
"Studies show that the brain doesn’t stop maturing until about 25 years of age, so when an adult plays violent games it becomes rational cognitive activity. But in a child, copycat behaviour can occur because the frontal lobe hasn’t completely formed and therefore the emotions are wedded to the images.
"Historically, murderers were older. I believe child murderers are the result of stimuli such as computer games breaking down our inhibitions not to kill other people.
"These games are a piece of absolute nonsense and are very dangerous. Manhunt is a public- safety hazard and we are out to destroy Rockstar."
Rockstar, however, has denied responsibility.
Simon Phillips, group editor of computer magazine Games TM, said Rockstar, a multi-million pound company, would be able to absorb any loss in sales resulting from bad publicity.
"Rockstar will comfortably manage to weather any storm, thanks to its key releases such as Midnight Club 3 and GTA: San Andreas, which will no doubt be the biggest-selling game of the year.
AND...
Lawyer Vows To "Wreck" Computer Game Maker
A FLORIDA lawyer today vowed to destroy Edinburgh games company Rockstar North after the family of a murdered teenager blamed one of its games for their son’s death.
The grieving parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah have blamed the violent game Manhunt, created by Rockstar North, for the brutal death of their son.
Stefan was battered and stabbed to death by Warren Leblanc, 17, who faces life behind bars after pleading guilty at Leicester Crown Court to the murder.
The victim’s mother Giselle Pakeerah branded Leblanc "inherently evil" and said the vicious and prolonged attack on her son mimicked the game, in which the players are rewarded for carrying out brutal killings.
Now she has contacted Florida lawyer Jack Thompson, who has campaigned against violent video games for the last five years, to bring legal action against the firm.
Mr Thompson said Ms Pakeerah had told him they had to "bring down the company".
He is securing an attorney in the UK to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, seeking damages for the death of her son and a possible injunction to stop the distribution of the game worldwide.
In Manhunt, gamers use weapons, including a claw hammer and a knife, to kill people for the sadistic pleasure of a film director.
Margaret McAllister, a former president of the British Psychological Society, said: "Research shows the small group of children who spend excessive amounts of time, such as eight hours a day, playing computer games are more likely to be less tolerant and aggressive.
"It is extremely unbalanced to spend that much time doing any one thing, and means the young person is not engaging in other activities such as playing, making things and interacting with people. To be in a state of suspended animation for such long periods could start to make them feel like what they are doing in the game is normal."
A spokeswoman for the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers’ Association (ELSPA), said: "We sympathise enormously with the family and parents of Stefan Pakeerah. However, we reject any suggestion or association between the tragic events in the Midlands and the sale of the video game Manhunt."
The violence in Manhunt has seen it receive a restricted rating in Canada and led to it being banned in New Zealand.
An MP today called for the Government to back any legal action taken by the family of Stefan Pakeerah over the video game blamed for the brutal murder of their son.
Keith Vaz wrote to the Home Secretary asking him to look at the link between computer games and violent crime following the horrific death of the 14-year-old.
The MP for Leicester East also called for retailers to follow the lead of Dixons and pull Manhunt from their shelves following the murder in a Leicester park.
Giselle Pakeerah, whose son was bludgeoned and stabbed to death by his 17-year-old friend, said she had not come to a decision over whether to sue the game’s manufacturers.
However, the grieving (IRRESPONSIBLE) mother welcomed the MP’s interest in her case, which has attracted international support after Warren Leblanc pleaded guilty to the murder last week.
Mr Vaz told PA News: “I have written to the Home Secretary asking him to look at the link between videos and crime as a matter of urgency.
“I have asked for additional research to be funded in part by the manufacturers themselves in order to see whether or not there is a link between these video games and crimes of violence.
“As regards this particular video game I am calling on other retailers to take the same action as Dixons has done.
“They have cleared this game from the shelves and I think it would be appropriate for others to do the same.
“The family have intimated they are going to sue Sony today so I am calling on the Government to give the family any help they need in their lawsuit.
“These transatlantic legal issues are very difficult. The aid of the British Government is going to be of immense help to them.
“I think this is a very important test case and therefore the Government should give any help they can.”
Mrs Pakeerah, 36, said: “I have not made any decision but I am quite touched by the support that I have had from Keith Vaz and others.
“It means a lot to me and it means a lot to Stefan’s memory as well.”
Stefan Pakeerah was lured to Stokes Wood Park by his older friend, who then beat him repeatedly with a claw hammer and stabbed him again and again.
Leblanc, of Braunstone Frith, Leicester, admitted murder at Leicester Crown Court last week, saying he initially planned to rob the younger boy.
The court heard Leblanc sneaked up behind the youngster before carrying out the brutal attack.
Stefan’s parents said outside court they believed he had been “obsessed” with the violent computer game Manhunt and the murder bore similarities with the game.
The object of the game sees the player earn points for killing people in as gruesome a manner as possible.
A Related Article...
Parents To Sue Makers Of Violent Game
LEGAL action is to be taken against the computer company behind a violent game blamed for inciting a teenager to murder his 14-year-old friend.
Giselle and Patrick Pakeerah, from Leicester, whose son Stefan was stabbed to death, have hired a lawyer to act against Rockstar Games, parent company of Edinburgh-based Rockstar North, which developed Manhunt, the 18-rated virtual-reality killing game.
Retailers such as Dixons, Game and Woolworths have now removed Manhunt from their shelves. Warren Leblanc, 17, who carried out the murder, was said to have been obsessed by the game, in which a man roams a grimy city slaughtering everyone in his path.
The killing methods in Manhunt were echoed by Leblanc, who beat his victim with a claw hammer and stabbed him repeatedly after luring him to a local park in February.
The move follows earlier controversy over another Rockstar game, Grand Theft Auto (GTA), which has been linked by lawyers to a series of violent crimes in the US.
Jack Thompson, a US-based lawyer and campaigner against violent games, is set to take up the legal action after being contacted by Mrs Pakeerah.
He is convinced there is a direct link between games such as Manhunt and the increasing number of teenage killings.
Speaking from Miami, Florida, he said: "We are planning legal action against Rockstar for inciting and training the perpetrator in the wrongful death of Mrs Pakeerah’s son.
"I think this lawsuit will be successful because there is an increasing linkage between violence and these games.
"Studies show that the brain doesn’t stop maturing until about 25 years of age, so when an adult plays violent games it becomes rational cognitive activity. But in a child, copycat behaviour can occur because the frontal lobe hasn’t completely formed and therefore the emotions are wedded to the images.
"Historically, murderers were older. I believe child murderers are the result of stimuli such as computer games breaking down our inhibitions not to kill other people.
"These games are a piece of absolute nonsense and are very dangerous. Manhunt is a public- safety hazard and we are out to destroy Rockstar."
Rockstar, however, has denied responsibility.
Simon Phillips, group editor of computer magazine Games TM, said Rockstar, a multi-million pound company, would be able to absorb any loss in sales resulting from bad publicity.
"Rockstar will comfortably manage to weather any storm, thanks to its key releases such as Midnight Club 3 and GTA: San Andreas, which will no doubt be the biggest-selling game of the year.
AND...
Lawyer Vows To "Wreck" Computer Game Maker
A FLORIDA lawyer today vowed to destroy Edinburgh games company Rockstar North after the family of a murdered teenager blamed one of its games for their son’s death.
The grieving parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah have blamed the violent game Manhunt, created by Rockstar North, for the brutal death of their son.
Stefan was battered and stabbed to death by Warren Leblanc, 17, who faces life behind bars after pleading guilty at Leicester Crown Court to the murder.
The victim’s mother Giselle Pakeerah branded Leblanc "inherently evil" and said the vicious and prolonged attack on her son mimicked the game, in which the players are rewarded for carrying out brutal killings.
Now she has contacted Florida lawyer Jack Thompson, who has campaigned against violent video games for the last five years, to bring legal action against the firm.
Mr Thompson said Ms Pakeerah had told him they had to "bring down the company".
He is securing an attorney in the UK to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, seeking damages for the death of her son and a possible injunction to stop the distribution of the game worldwide.
In Manhunt, gamers use weapons, including a claw hammer and a knife, to kill people for the sadistic pleasure of a film director.
Margaret McAllister, a former president of the British Psychological Society, said: "Research shows the small group of children who spend excessive amounts of time, such as eight hours a day, playing computer games are more likely to be less tolerant and aggressive.
"It is extremely unbalanced to spend that much time doing any one thing, and means the young person is not engaging in other activities such as playing, making things and interacting with people. To be in a state of suspended animation for such long periods could start to make them feel like what they are doing in the game is normal."
A spokeswoman for the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers’ Association (ELSPA), said: "We sympathise enormously with the family and parents of Stefan Pakeerah. However, we reject any suggestion or association between the tragic events in the Midlands and the sale of the video game Manhunt."
The violence in Manhunt has seen it receive a restricted rating in Canada and led to it being banned in New Zealand.