$246 Million Lawsuit Blames "Grand Theft Auto" Video Game for Shootings

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 24, 2003 - 10:19am.

Knoxville, Tenn. -- The families of two victims shot while driving by two teenagers who claim to have been inspired by Take-Two Interactive's "Grand Theft Auto" video game have sued Take-Two, marketer Sony Computer Entertainment America and retailer Wal-Mart for $246 million. Two stepbrothers from Newport, Tenn. -- William Buckner, 16, and Joshua Buckner, 14 -- are already serving sentences after pleading guilty to charges of reckless homicide, endangerment and assault for the June 25 shootings of Aaron Hamel, 45, who was killed, and Kimberly Bede, 19, who was seriously wounded when their cars were hit by bullets fired by the two boys. Plaintiffs' attorneys Jack Thompson and Richard Talley said in the suit that the "Grand Theft Auto" game, which rewards players for shooting drivers and running over pedestrians, "inspires and trains players to shoot at vehicles and persons." "These kids simply decided to take the thrill of that game out to Interstate 40 and started pointing at cars," Thomson told the Associated Press. A number of similar cases targeting video games as the impetus behind violent crimes have been thrown out of court.
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