Halo 3 murder trial: Judge links games to addiction, delusions

by Ross Miller { Jan 14th 2009 at 2:54PM }

17-year-old Ohio teenager Daniel Petric was found guilty this week of shooting his parents. The prosecution said the attack was provoked when his father forbade him from playing Halo 3, and yeah, you can probably guess where this is going ...

In his sentencing, as transcribed by GamePolitics, Lorain County judge James Burge intimated that he believes -- "as a human being ... and not a jurist" -- that gaming can elicit similar physiological responses and addictions as some drugs (sound familiar?). He further decried the creation of a delusional environment. The quote that's currently making the rounds is, "I firmly believe that [Petric] had no idea at the time he hatched this plot that if he killed his parents, they would be dead forever." In other words: Petric didn't realize there are no respawns in real life, according to Judge Burge.

Of course, attributing Halo 3 as a causation of these crimes is probably reaching, especially when most of the other 6.4 million who bought the game seem to be of sound mind. We're no psychologists, but to us it seems this is about the wrong mind and the right catalyst inciting the most heinous of actions -- whether it be Master Chief, Niko Bellic, The Beatles, or a German Shepherd.

Tags: bungie, case, halo, halo-3, james-burge, law, legal, politics, trial

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Deck @ Jan 14th 2009 3:00PM

*sigh* How ridiculous.

The judge is really saying that the kid didn't realize that there were no respawns in real life? Really? That's ridiculous.

And as you said Ross... it seems most others are of sound mind who bought the game. This is stretching it.

Marc @ Jan 14th 2009 9:44PM

Headshot!

brickwalker0 @ Jan 14th 2009 3:33PM

@Nick

Arrested Development FTW

anonim1979 @ Jan 14th 2009 4:26PM

Barrister : Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.

Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p. m.

Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.

Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for pulse?
A: No.

Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.

Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.

Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
A: No.

Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.

Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?
A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law.

Strategy_Panda (The Sandwich Poisoning Crew) @ Jan 14th 2009 4:28PM

barrister

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Jan 15th 2009 2:28PM

It looks like we've got a HUNG jury!

Readme @ Jan 14th 2009 3:00PM

And this coming from a judge.

Readme @ Jan 14th 2009 3:00PM

A JUDGE

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Jan 14th 2009 3:15PM

My name is Judge.

Dirty @ Jan 14th 2009 3:19PM

I loved you in Beverly Hills Cop.

brickwalker0 @ Jan 14th 2009 3:34PM

damn, hit the wrong reply.

AwesomeTown @ Jan 14th 2009 3:37PM

Mock Trial with Judge Reinhold!

aristokrat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:37PM

Wait a second, was this a Mock Trial with Judge Reinholdt?

aristokrat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:38PM

Apparently in AwesomeTown they are very quick draws indeed.

AwesomeTown @ Jan 14th 2009 3:41PM

Don't worry, in AwesomeTown, everybody wins.

343 Guilty Fart @ Jan 14th 2009 3:42PM

Wasn't that the plot of a Clerks cartoon episode?

MuToiD_MaN @ Jan 14th 2009 5:06PM

Time to call a parade of movie director witnesses.

offday @ Jan 14th 2009 3:00PM

"Of course, attributing Halo 3 as a causation of these crimes is probably reaching, especially when most of the other 6.4 million who bought the game seem to be of sound mind."

Exactly. It makes me sick to hear that his family forgives him and instead blames Halo 3 for all of this. You know, despite the fact that everyone else in the entire world who has ever played Halo has never killed someone.

Doug @ Jan 14th 2009 3:19PM

I pwn noobz. Does that count?

player66 @ Jan 14th 2009 3:25PM

It's almost something you'd expect from Troy McClure:
"I'm not a psychologist, but I played one on TV..."

jxcgunrunna @ Jan 14th 2009 3:28PM

r u telling me a soldier who has gone to war and killed for his country has never played HALO? I'm just saying.

Yes it is sad that someone who has not only went to school to be a lawyer, passes the BAR and was elected to office would say something so stupid. from what i can tell, the kid had other mental issues. how messed up do u have to be in the first place to shoot your own parents.

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 14th 2009 3:29PM

I used to be a doctor for pretend, that's why I can recommend old spice

mirage @ Jan 14th 2009 3:37PM

I like how joystiq claims the other 6.4 million users are of "sound mind". I would hate to meet someone who is not of sound mind if the people I play in Halo 3 are examples of people who are.

aristokrat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:40PM

Judges are not elected, they are appointed. And a surprising number of them do not have law degrees.

Ubiqutous Oxymoron @ Jan 14th 2009 4:08PM

i dunno, look at Alien Lord...

offday @ Jan 14th 2009 4:08PM

"r u telling me a soldier who has gone to war and killed for his country has never played HALO? I'm just saying."

Are you really comparing a soldier killing an enemy during a war to a 17 year old kid killing his mother?

jorojoserojas @ Jan 14th 2009 11:34PM

@aristokrat

In some states judges are, in fact, elected. Here in Texas, for example.

uh-oh polio @ Jan 14th 2009 3:02PM

what a piece of shit.

life in prison.

The Dark Wayne @ Jan 14th 2009 3:26PM

yeah but what about the murderer?

AirIntake @ Jan 14th 2009 3:04PM

Won't it be great when all the older generations retire, and the world is finally run by people that understand computers and video games? It's sad that the same people who fought for their right to listen to rock music are now being hypocrites and accusing video games of the same thing their parents accused rock of.

BananaBoat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:11PM

I hate to agree with him, but I've known plenty of people that have been addicted to games (namely MMO's). That said, saying that games create "delusions" is a load of garbage. Maybe in someone that is already mentally insane, but in a normal person? Are we to the point where we need to legislate restrictions on things based on the "fact" that they may lead to a small, mentally ill segment of the population being turned into homicidal maniacs? Are we to the point where we can't figure out that a boy willing to kill his parents because they TOOK HIS VIDEO GAME was probably mentally ill to begin with?

Oy

BananaBoat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:11PM

I fail, I didn't mean to reply to someone

aristokrat @ Jan 14th 2009 3:42PM

But how will you know when someone responds to you?!? You won't even get this message!

t_m @ Jan 14th 2009 9:50PM

It'll be great when the world is run by the people on Xbox Live?!?

*shudder*

Haggard @ Jan 15th 2009 12:16PM

But then when our kids start living in virtual reality, we'll start complaining and calling for them to be banned because we don't understand them.

Why can't they just have a nice old game of Halo like we used to?

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Jan 14th 2009 3:09PM

Just let it go. We've been there before. We're gonna have 100 people repeating the same message they repeated in yesterday's 'Games r Bad' pageview-bait.

Know better and don't get involved.Saying that, I'm leaving this place.

Doug @ Jan 14th 2009 3:20PM

Can you come back. It's getting lonely.

Blank-Mage @ Jan 14th 2009 3:33PM

We weep at night when you're not around.

AwesomeTown @ Jan 14th 2009 3:39PM

You sir, just killed my buzz.

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Jan 14th 2009 3:54PM

lol

If you wanna flame and repeat the same comments you always post than go right a-fucking-head. I ain't stopping you.

But I know for a fact, this will just devolve into a giant Otrollberfest like every single other piece of news-bait like that.So I urge people to leave trolls to themselves and either post something relatively original(look at anything written Sheppy in news like these for a quick guide on 'How NOT to make a boring generic copy-pasta response!') or don't bother at all.

I've been on so many of these 'flame-news' I now know how it will go without even looking thus making it possible for me to generate my own self-sustaining lulz and frankly be the greatest thing ever created across the intrawebz.

Wait 'till I tell 4chan about it!

el serpiente @ Jan 14th 2009 4:11PM

I thought you were leaving?

Or are you just doing one of those 'angry-teenager-threatening-to-run-away-so-mommy-and-daddy-will-give-him-attention' things?

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Jan 14th 2009 4:36PM

Well, I'm not taking part in the actual shitstorm so the further explanation as to why you shouldn't either doesn't really count as taking part.So technical I have left already.

Also you don't have to be such an asshole all of the time. I'm sorry if I've ever wronged you, but perhaps if I bought three PS3's, a PSP and a Bravia, you could finally forgive me for the blasphemy I once spoke against LBP...did I say LBP? Oh forgive me once again for using the name of the holy one across a mere Joystiq forum...there could be...360 fanboys listening...or even worse Wii Soccer Moms! We must not let contaminate the sainted killer app by merely hearing it's name...

Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Jan 14th 2009 4:46PM

Oh, and I'm not leaving the actual site. Just not contributing to this thread.

el serpiente @ Jan 14th 2009 5:03PM

darn...

BananaBoat @ Jan 14th 2009 6:54PM

Allllllll byyyyyyyy myyyyyyyyyyyyy sellllllllllllffffffffff

Don't wanna beeeeeeeeee allllll byyyyyy myyyyysellfff.............

BABY COME BACK! You can blame it all ON ME!!! BABY COME BACK!

Longhorn4Life @ Jan 14th 2009 3:11PM

Its about time Halo got some bad press :p

But honestly once again a video game is being used as a scapegoat. I hate old people

Douche Bigalow @ Jan 14th 2009 3:14PM

Doesn't anyone get tired of hearing the same old denial every time someone points out that games can be a negative influence?

We know games can be a negative influence. That's why they're rated and restricted.

The argument should be about best practices to keep negative influence games out of the hands of those who can be influenced. That would start with people wholeheartedly backing our ratings systems, rather than continuing this tiresome back-and-forth of "but games don't have any negative influence!" or the tired line of "where are the parents?!?"