GTA-made-'em-do-it 'Nut Cases' gang leader sentenced

[wraggster]

via joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/03/26/gta-made-em-do-it-nut-cases-gang-leader-sentenced/)

The alleged leader of Oakland street gang the Nut Cases was sentenced to 75 years to life by Alameda County Superior Court on Friday. Gregory Colbert and five others, who entertained a puzzling fixation with Planters' Mr. Peanut and enjoyed hazy sessions of Grand Theft Auto III, have been linked to a series of murders and armed robberies that terrorized Oakland in late 2002, and lasted until the Nut Cases were rounded up in January 2003.

San Francisco Chronicle's continued coverage of the case suggests that the Nut Cases imitated the violent acts they'd repeatedly carried out in the virtual world of GTAIII. It's unclear if this "explanation" was offered up during the trial by the defense. But, if GTA could actually induce violent sociopathic behavior, then we'd have a worldwide crisis on our hands. We're talkin', like, tens of millions of Nut Cases!

[Buddy4point0]

these people r so frikin dumb.
whoo im gonna play a spiderman game then go jump off a building and try to shoot webs out of my hand.

[Triv1um]

whoo im gonna play a spiderman game then go jump off a building and try to shoot webs out of my hand.

::mad: That doesnt work? :eek:

Anyway, there the sort of people who make people think badly of games.

[LilSwish722]

This is stupid. I mean I'm glad they caught the dude, but GTA making him do it...retarded. I bet Jack Thompsons behind it.

[wiredforpower]

load of crap. He might've just been trying to get out of a sentence by pleading insanity.

[Buddy4point0]

yea pleading that the video game made him do it is just dumb. its not gonna help him, and it is gonna hurt us.

[ish420ism]

Does that mean that after a session of StarWars, I don't have Jedi mind powers???:eek:
Lets try it
"You will.. +rep me"

Oh well. Nice try:thumbup:

[IM back!]

omg this is just stupid!?

[Shadowblind]

I think they blame GTA as it is POSSIBLE to imitate the actions in that game, hence very possible it could have influenced them.

Note POSSIBLE. Shooting web isn't possible. Killing people is.

[Cokemusic]

GTA = -£40
Armed Robery = + £7,000
75 years inprisonment = Priceless.

[SSaxdude]

To quote Larry the Cable Guy:
"Penthouse gave me carpal tunnel."

[DarthPaul]

Games pull triggers? Games control your mind? Guys control your body? They don't. So they're no excuses to say that the game made you do it.

[Shadowblind]

Games pull triggers? Games control your mind? Guys control your body? They don't. So they're no excuses to say that the game made you do it.

Whats sad is in some people games DO control their mind. Not sure about this case though.

[jwilds73]

I played Matt Hoffman Pro BMX unfortunately I am not as good as Matt. And I got the scars and smashed cell phone to prove it. Luckly though I have full coverage insurance on my phone and nothing else is broken.

[h4s30]

yup human nature to point fingers at others

still if there was a more deterring justice system that stuff wouldn't happen as often

phone insurance is crap you're better off buying a new damn phone

[Basil Zero]

this is just gonna make GTA more popular

and these nutjobs just wanna frickin screw with us gamers.

[Zargon]

Why do people blame things like this on games? I am willing to admit that sometimes, I feel like catching something on fire, but that isn't because playing with a flamethrower was fun in a game. It's because I am a teenager with no job (yet), no work to do around the house, and an urge to do something stupid brought on by shows like Jack@$$, Viva la Bam, and others that have snuck their way into American (Yep, I'm a Yankee) culture.