D&D Player Accused in Sword Killing *why is the game a factor?*

[Elder-Basilisk]

The difference is that Golf is never mentioned in a murder story. OJ played Golf, but it wasn't mentioned at the time of the Nicole Brown / Ron Goldman slayings. (OJ's name alone was enough to popularize the story.) Mostly, it's a tagline to hang the story on, nothing more. It brings a sensational quality to the story, which is what most large journalistic establishments do to sell it.

I don't know. There are more differences. Golf is not a game about killing one's ex-wife. D&D generally is about killing ones' enemies. Furthermore, OJ Simpson didn't murder his ex-wife with golf clubs either. I suspect that, if there were an avid golf player who meticulously painted his enemies' faces on golf balls and then killed someone by tasering him and then lining up his head with a nine iron, yelling "Fore!" and swinging to cave in that enemy's skull, it probably would make the news as the golf-club killings or some such moniker.

The difference is that, in many of the cases where D&D or other entertainment is connected with crimes, there is really an apparent similarity between the game and the individual's life and crime. In this case, the guy plays a fantasy game (which may or may not be D&D), paints his fingernails black and lights up candles all over the place. To put it bluntly, that's personal behavior that emulates the bahavior of at least a recognizable subset of game characters (though that subset is perhaps more prevalent in Vampire than D&D). He then spends a few weeks making a sword (or a pair of them as the story indicates he may have done), and apparently challenges the guy who was bullying him to a duel then cuts his head off. Again, that's him emulating in real life, behavior that would be very recognizable in-game. Thus it's not surprising that people who have a little knowledge of the game and a little knowledge of his behavior see at least a prima facia connection. I do too. At the very least, it appears connected enough to justify its inclusion in the news story.

Most of us here want to believe that role-playing games are SAFE and HARMLESS--even BENEFICIAL to and for all people at all times, no matter what the game. I'm not that sanguine. I expect that there are some games that are probably harmful in general, and some people would be better off not playing any such games. That doesn't make a good press release and, the way modern media functions, any D&D Defense League could never afford to be that honest if there were such a group, but I think it's the truth.

 

[Mystery Man]

O.J. played football.....

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

All that said, it should be re-emphasized that there were quite a few other factors in the murder. The guy had done hard time and, immediately after the killing, went outside to drink a 40. So, alcohol and prior criminal history are also factors here, as they are in a great many killings. Surprise, surprise.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

What do you want to do? Censor the media so that they can't report the types of games a killer plays?

Would never think of doing anything of the sort.

However, the article did spark in me a little bit of upset because of the fact that--though they may not blame the game in this situation--it is listed as some sort of characteristic of a psycho... like it's some sort of symptom of problems. That is what irritates me so...

Like we should hear "also, he really liked D&D" and find it to be some sort of explanatory factor in the murder.

 

[Henry]

The article isn't blaming D&D for anything. It is just describing this wacko. Note that it mentions other things about him like black fingernails and burning candles. This article is no more offensive to the D&D player or the black fingernail polish wearin' person.

What do you want to do? Censor the media so that they can't report the types of games a killer plays?

No, more like, ask for a fair standard of journalism, and not aim for sensationalism in reporting. I might as well also ask for world peace and a cure for old age, but it's nice to aim for.

 

[Lord Judas]

I agree the author is trying to weave D&D into the reasoning of this guy's psychosis, although I saw a FAR more outraging show on one of the crime shows, think it was Forensic Files. This lunatic killed and raped this mom, and killed her young child for just being there at the time. The manner of deaths, while tragic, was nothing fanatasy related, but they were certain to mention time and again how the guy played D&D and lived in a "fantasy world". The cherry on the sundae was they interviewed a player from this guys group who pretty much epitomized every bad D&D sterotype. Instead of him saying "Its just a beer and pretzles social game we play", he says something to the effect of "We play it to escape into a fanasty realm...ect" pretty much supporting the stories point that this had something to do with the murder.

Bad stuff...

 

[Desdichado]

Like we should hear "also, he really liked D&D" and find it to be some sort of explanatory factor in the murder.

Well, in this case, it might well have been. I mean, he killed the guy with a homemade sword, fer cryin' out loud.

Since I'm local to where this happened, I'll try to keep an eye on the local news over the next day or two and see what they say about it.

 

[frankthedm]

No, more like, ask for a fair standard of journalism, and not aim for sensationalism in reporting. I might as well also ask for world peace and a cure for old age, but it's nice to aim for.

I would like more dead bullies along with more executions.

It sounded like it was a fair challenge to me. The victim problaby insulted the challenger as he threw the blade away.

 

[Aaron2]

In other sword related news ...

"Man Uses Samurai Sword To Foil Robbery"
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/3859023/detail.html

No mention of gamer status. Although I wonder how you use a sword -and- multiple 10" knives.


Aaron

 

[cjyoung1]

I saw this article about an hour before I read this thread. It did upset me, for more then one reason.

I am good friends with a journalist and learned quite a bit from her, and this article is just poor journalism. I am from the Detroit area and it makes Detroit look even worse, and it paints roll players in a bad light.

In the first paragraph of the article, the color of his fingernails and that he is into “medieval fantasy games’ is totally irrelevant information. It has nothing to do with the crime and is just a hobby of the criminal. The more relevant information is that the person was being bullied over the last couple of months, found in the fourth paragraph. This is the why of the crime, the how has to do with he works in a metal shop and was able to fashion his weapon. Why was this not questioned? That would be slightly suspicious to me.
I despise this form of sensationalistic reporting. I did write a letter to the Detroit Free Press in regards to this, explaining why I felt that it was bad reporting - including the above facts.
You've got to love the American Press. If it's a slow news day - you've gotta liven it up somehow.