D&D possible cause in Murder case again.

[Kae'Yoss]

I didn't see any posts of "moral outrage" when the initial post went up. It's hypocrtical to complain now.

Bah, moral. I traded that in for experience points.

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.

I'd think that quoting idiots - without making fun of them - would be a bad Idea. It implies that the writer agrees or at least has no problem with it.

So if some guy says that he thinks D&D might be involved because the victim was stabbed, he makes a fool of himself. If someone else reports that, without commenting on it, like "This statement is not the most professional, since knives are rather commonplace in our society and used often in crimes", it seems the reporter doesn't have a problem with the statement, and makes a fool of himself, too.

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.

They're not selling newspapers, they're selling their morality. Just because people want things, it isn't OK to provide.
I'm sure there is a big demand for drugs in the area, but that doesn't mean I'm blameless when I start dealing drugs.

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.

As I said above. When they just print without comment, it's no wonder they get part of the blame. Sometimes we should shoot the messenger.

 

[Committed Hero]

She's not an elected official, therefore anything she says doesn't mean Jack Sh*t.

Same with the DA - is there anything in the evidence that says the suspect/victim even played D&D?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

is there anything in the evidence that says the suspect/victim even played D&D?

Yes. AFAIT they said that he had problems with women. And we all know how hard it is to get the girls into the game

 

[Dr Awkward]

Here's a reply that someone at the Game Industry Network forum managed to get out of Bruce Castor:

Thank you for your thoughtful e-mail. The three adult victims and the defendant were all devotees of fantasy role playing games. In fact, the defendant was obsessed with them. When we searched his room, we found cards, figurines, posters, clothing and other things related to killing by stabbing in the context of role playing littered everywhere. We also recovered several dozen swords, knives and daggers which would have been at home in Lord of the Rings. The day of the most recent killings, he told his mother that he was going out to play dungeons and dragons. Thus, what concerns me is not the game itself, but his preoccupation with it. Clearly the game didn't cause the murders. What I want to explore is whether his fascination with it blurred his sense of reality because of his own emotional and personal problems.

Bruce L. Castor, Jr.
District Attorney

I still haven't quite figured out why it's being blamed on his preoccupation with D&D and not, say, a preoccupation with sharp objects, since they found 'several dozen' blades in his home. (How many is 'several dozen'? If 'several' is anything more than a couple, then that would make a minimum of 36 swords, knives, and daggers in his home.) And what is "killing by stabbing in the context of roleplaying?" Did they actually find cards, figurines, posters, clothing, and 'other things' that each portrayed some sort of stabbing death on them, 'in the context of roleplaying'?

I wonder if I have enough gaming stuff in my house to label me as "obsessed?" (Actually, I'm pretty sure I have enough in my house to get put on a 'watch' list. )

- DocAwk

 

[Dr Awkward]

However, I think it is important to counter the claims made against our hobby. I would like to suggest a good resource: The Escapist. The site has many articles and links to counter those who use our hobby as an explanation for all of society's ills.

Thanks for the plug. Your check's in the mail.

- DocAwk

 

[Michael Morris]

In other news...

The sky is brown, grass is red, and France has decided to dismantle the Eifell Tower.

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

I won't believe it's D&D related until I see someone was killed with: a falchion, bladed gauntlets, a dwarven waraxe, a quarterstaff, a whip-dagger, etc..

Oh, and they better have found the bodies strangely missing anything that could have the slightest value if they want to pin it on a D&D hack & slasher

People dying by the knife has been around since we first sharpened some bones/rocks. I would hope a D&D fanatic could use a bit more imagination.

In all fairness, when he killed those people he had on a white wig, black face paint and was dual-wielding scimitars. Draw your own conclusions.

When I have dark thoughts, I simply ask the tiefling that lives in my mailbox for advice and everything usually turns out OK. It's when he refuses to help that I am forced to kill...
Errr, uhh... Pay no attention to the above paragraph. What I mean to say is that it doesn't matter whether or not you play D&D, what movie or TV show you just watched or even which ninja turtle is your favorite (unless it's not Leo, theen I keel you!); if you kill a bunch of people, it's because you were unbalanced to begin with and your psychotic break was an inevitability.

Did someone say Akron, Ohio? I live in Alliance... and I'm an honorary Canadian.

 

[Rystil Arden]

France has decided to dismantle the Eifell Tower.

Again?

 

[Philip]

I still haven't quite figured out why it's being blamed on his preoccupation with D&D and not, say, a preoccupation with sharp objects, since they found 'several dozen' blades in his home.

Well, I think they should report that D&D kept said person from acting out his fantasies for several years because D&D provided the personal with a viable alternative to living out his sharp objects obsession!

It is a viable interpretation, but perhaps not as fear-inspiring, and therefore less 'news-worthy'.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

The sky is brown, grass is red, and France has decided to dismantle the Eifell Tower.

Heh, about half the Parisians I have met would love to do just that, they think that the tower is one ugly piece of iron mongery. But the tourist dollars are so lovely...

The Auld Grump