Judge Blocks Louisiana Game Law Written by Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson may not be a Phoenix Wright but he sure is a pain in the a**! Well, he certainly got his and game retailers, in LA, are safe, for now.
A preliminary injunction, granted at the request of the videogame industry, was issued by Federal District Court Judge James Brady, yesterday. The injunction blocks law HB1381 from going into effect. Here is what the law would have done:
The law would have placed restrictions on the distribution of certain videogames deemed “harmful to minors,” and describes “violent” videogames as software that appeals to a minor’s “morbid interest in violence” or that is “patently offensive” to adults’ social standards, among other descriptors. Violators would have faced penalties including fines and prison time.
Thank Jeebus it didn’t go through! /flex
Immediately after Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed the bill, the Entertainment Software Association immediately filed suit, with the Entertainment Merchants Association as co-plaintiff. Judge Brady soon issued a temporary block on the law. All this transpires after Thompson was confident this bill, backed by “hard scientific evidence” on the negative effects of violent games on youths, would survive where his past bills had died.
Judge Brady disagreed with Thompson and had this to say, courtesy of Game Polictics:
“Defendants (Louisiana) contend that the legislative record contains social science evidence demonstrating that violent video games are harmful. It appears that much of the same evidence has been considered by numerous courts and in each case the connection was found to be tenuous and speculative…”
Judge Brady goes on to say, “The evidence that was submitted to the legislature in connection with the bill that became the statute is sparse and could hardly be called in any sense reliable….”
Well, of course! This “evidence” is coming from a raving lunatic with sloppy hair, horns and an eye patch!! Actually, nix the eye patch, we love pirates here at GayGamer.
It makes me angry that the legislators of post-Katrina Louisiana, in a time when there are many more pressing issues to be dealt with, are wasting their time on such a matter. As a resident of New Orleans, I believe their efforts should be spent elsewhere, like helping this city get back on its feet instead of trying to push their own agenda for their selfish political gains.
OK, that was my lil’ rant. What are your opinions on these game laws?
Judge Blocks Louisiana Game Law [Next Generation]
Super Timsy
Posted to Video Games on 25 August 2006
Other stuff like this: EMA, ESA, Game Law, Jack Thompson, Judge Brady, Kathleen Blanco, Louisiana
