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Family sue video game maker
02/08/2004 15:16 - (SA)
London - The family of a British boy beaten and stabbed to death by a teenage friend are to sue the makers of a violent video game they claim drove the murderer to commit the crime, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The parents of 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah, whose killer pleaded guilty to the murder in court last week, are to take out a lawsuit against Rockstar Games, creators of "Manhunt", the Times newspaper said.
The Pakeerah family have said that Warren Leblanc, 17, was obsessed with the game, in which players gain points by slaughtering people in as sadistic a way as possible, generally using knives or blunt objects.
A United States lawyer hired by the family will also target Japanese entertainment giant Sony, manufacturers of the Playstation 2 console on which the game is played.
Can video games influence behaviour?
The murder of Stefan has sparked debate throughout Britain's press as to whether violent video games can influence behaviour, and thus whether they should be controlled, or even banned.
Several high-street shops pulled Manhunt from their shelves following the case, although Rockstar Games has stressed that the game is rated 18, meaning juveniles such as Leblanc should not have had access to it anyway.
The Times quoted Miami-based lawyer Jack Thompson as saying he would serve writs against British-based Rockstar as well as Sony.
"Children are being trained to kill each other through these games. The tragedy of Stefan is not an isolated incident," he said.
"The Pakeerahs are a brave family because they are willing to do something about it."
A court heard last week how Leblanc beat his friend with a claw hammer and stabbed him repeatedly after luring him to a local park to rob him. He will be sentenced next month.
- AFP
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