D&D possible cause in Murder case again.

[Darth K'Trava]

I'd rather YOU make a lengthy incision in YOUR carotid artery while in the tub. That'd make ME very happy. At least it would preserve the integrity of the gene pool.

Ok. Stop fighting over who qualifies for the Darwin Award.....

Yes, I'm a reporter. I don't see why the media is being blamed for this. The statement was made by a prosecutor, a public official. Even if it is a completely idiotic statement, it's fair game to use it in the story. Blame the general public who wants to read sensationalistic drek like that -- that's the reason the news media uses quotes like that, because it sells newspapers and increases ratings.

Of course, the reporter should have had the intelligence to question the DA further to see what basis he has for making this statement. Then include that information in the story, to show what an idiot the DA is. People have a right to know if their public officials are idiots. Hmmm, maybe that's what the reporter WAS doing in this case, letting people know how stupid this DA is if he thinks the killing spree was connected to a game.

Stuff like this is what separates the great reporters from the mediocre. The ones I've listened to seem to be good if not great reporters. Usually they have only little to go on, based on what the authorities are going to give in a particular case. Usually, that's very little. Just what is needed to get the news media to help solve the case while keeping sensitive information secret that only a suspect would know but most others would not. Its a delicate line all reporters must follow.

 

[Shadowdancer]

I think I'd be more worried about the sheer number of blades than his gaming hobby. But then I have a friend who has him beat in the sheer number of swords he has at his house.... But I think it's more of a mental thing than just because he has D&D as a hobby

Why does the number of blades concern you? Not an attack, just curious. Maybe he collects knives and swords. I collect knives and swords and, in total, have about 100 -- more knives than swords. I know lots of collectors who have the same number or more. Some play D&D; most don't. In fact, most probably haven't even heard of D&D.

My interest in collecting knives and swords is connected to my interest in D&D and RPGs, but not entirely. I started collecting knives and swords after I started playing D&D -- but I bought my first sword to go with my Renaissance festival costume. My interest in knives and swords predates the creation of D&D; it started when I was a child, in the late 1960s.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Why does the number of blades concern you? Not an attack, just curious. Maybe he collects knives and swords. I collect knives and swords and, in total, have about 100 -- more knives than swords. I know lots of collectors who have the same number or more. Some play D&D; most don't. In fact, most probably haven't even heard of D&D.

My interest in collecting knives and swords is connected to my interest in D&D and RPGs, but not entirely. I started collecting knives and swords after I started playing D&D -- but I bought my first sword to go with my Renaissance festival costume. My interest in knives and swords predates the creation of D&D; it started when I was a child, in the late 1960s.

It's a statement. "I" referring to the detectives. Personally, I (me in this case) don't have a problem with it. I have a friend who has probably twice that number (the original article) of knives and (mostly) swords in his house. Not to mention a crossbow (unassembled). And he does play D&D once a month.

 

[Shadowdancer]

It's a statement. "I" referring to the detectives. Personally, I (me in this case) don't have a problem with it. I have a friend who has probably twice that number (the original article) of knives and (mostly) swords in his house. Not to mention a crossbow (unassembled). And he does play D&D once a month.

OK, my misunderstanding.

I think what the DA should be concerned about is if the killer had an excessive or abnormal preoccupation with D&D, or RPGs in general. Just being preoccupied with something isn't wrong or even harmful; being obsessed with something to the point of being unable to tell fantasy from reality, or to prefer fantasy to reality, is harmful.

Of course, even then the obsession is just a symptom, not the cause; it is an indication of an underlying problem, not the problem itself.

 

[Malic]

I'm a bit confused here. To me it sounds like the journalist may have not asked the right question to get the possible connection the DA was thinking of, thus making the DA sound like an idiot, or on the other hand the DA actually is an idiot and the journalist faithfully reported his comments ... I don't really understand why this is worrying. I mean, 'there were lots of stab wounds, and D&D is all about pointy things'??

Is this actually going to find an audience who go, 'yeah, a stabbing, must have been D&D'? 'Sane criminals always use guns?' Won't people go 'yeah right, wonder if he watched any cooking shows', like some people on this thread have mentioned?

I have not run across the opinion before that D&D is about running around with edged weapons. Is that really common? I have heard the satanic thing once. Maybe we don't get that as much in Oz, or maybe just the kinds of people I know wouldn't be that freaked out by it.

Actually most people I know think D&D is a bit weird and a bit nerdy, but they don't seem to think there's anything dangerous about it....

Do people really think this news article will stoke hatred of D&D?

Honestly curious!

 

[WizarDru]

Actually most people I know think D&D is a bit weird and a bit nerdy, but they don't seem to think there's anything dangerous about it....

Do people really think this news article will stoke hatred of D&D?

Read Dr. Awkward's post above. That's a serious issue. Let me quote one of the best lines of a great post:

It's a cliche, a soundbite, and when most people hear it, they just nod their heads knowingly, because that's what they've ALWAYS heard.

[Emphasis Mine].


I can tell with absolute certianty that there are people who take this as proof of the 'dangerous' nature of the game. I've met some of them. Hell, I'm related to several by marriage. Are they an extreme? Certainly. But the average person has a de-facto impression of D&D, in part formulated and reinforced by this kind of media treatment. The casual viewer takes this a proof after the fact; "Oh, he knifed a girl? How Terrible. He played D&D? Well, there you go."

Now, you might say: "But Dru, it IS a game about killing monsters and taking their stuff!" That's a valid point. However, I don't hear anyone say this about sport hunters or fishermen, for example...and these are folks who actually DO kill things and take their stuff for a hobby. With real weapons, no less. (And to be clear, I think that's swell. I enjoy the annual vennison sausage I get from hunter relatives, used to fish myself and married someone who used to hunt...and throw HATCHETS). By the same token, we don't hear about civil or revolutionary war recreationists, who are in essence role-players themselves, painted in this fashion. That, IMHO, is the real root issue.

 

[Dr Awkward]

Do people really think this news article will stoke hatred of D&D?

No, but it will feed the age-old stereotype, and allow it to live a little while longer. You won't see huge protests against the game, or senators lobbying for legislation against it, or any of that sort of thing.

But you will see game groups get banned from schools every now and then, or parents who forbid their kids to play who otherwise would have had no problem with it. You might even see a game store lose their lease for doing undesirable business - I know of three instances of this happening, one of them about a mile from where I sit right now. (The tattoo parlor and the tavern next door are still open, however).

That's the sort of thing that happens nowadays. It's a lot better than it has been in the past, but I'd love to see the day when that stereotype is finally put to rest.

- DocAwk

 

[Dr Awkward]

More info coming in - Eichinger wore the knife he killed Jennifer Still with as part of his Halloween costume (the killer from the Scream movies) every year since the killing:

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/pennsylvania/11283099.htm

In this one we find out more on how he fetishized the items related related to the murder - and the steps he took to misdirect police, including leaving messages on Still's voicemail after the murder:

http://www.timesherald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14263582&BRD=1672&PAG=461&dept_id=33380&rfi=6

I'm not seeing any references to his alleged obsession with D&D here - but an obsession with sharp objects is still pretty clear.

- DocAwk

 

[skinnydwarf]

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/29/0519242&tid=209&tid=123

Dont they ever get tired of this?

sorry if this was already posted.

According to slashdot, the prosecutor siad: 'I mean, you have many, many stab wounds and those 'Dungeons and Dragons' fantasy games involve swords and knives and daggers and things of that nature. There may be a connection but I can't say for sure.'

And this man went to law school? I weep for the future.

[I don't think this is an april fools posting, since the thread was started the 29th. Apoligies if I am wrong]

 

[woodelf]

That's completely fallacious. So.....because he plays D&D he's likely to stab people? I guess they should check with all murderers or attempted murderers who used a knife as their weapon of choice and see whether they play D&D.

IMO, that's irresponsible reporting. Until they've actually been able to demonstrate a link, it shouldn't even be coming up.

Banshee

Yeah, especially given how common knives are on the streets. Now, if he'd killed them with a crossbow or ball-and-chain--you know, something that (1) isn't generally found in the hands of people who have no fantasy interests and (2) is downright archaic--well, then maybe we'd have some sort of connection...to Buffy: the Vampire Slayer.