Posted Jul 09, 2008 at 01:53PM by Victor B. Listed in: News Tags: Jack Thompson
Ó

Judge Tunis recommends permanent disbarment for Jack Thompson  - Image 1More breaking Jack Thompson news today. Judge Dava Tunis' report to the Florida Bar is now available online, and it has recommended that John Bruce Thompson (We call him Jack) be permanently disbarred, as well as pay US$ 43,675.35 in disciplinary costs.

Contrary to the earlier recommendation of the Florida Bar, that of an "enhanced disbarment" lasting ten years, Tunis recommended permanent disbarment due to a variety of factors, such as (and we're quoting the report here),

9.22(a) prior disciplinary offenses;
9.22(b) dishonest or selfish motive;
9.22(c) a pattern of misconduct involving repeated or similar misconduct;
9.22(d) multiple offenses;
9.22(e) bad faith obstruction of the disciplinary proceeding by intentionally failing
to comply with rules or orders of the disciplinary agency;
9.22(f) submission of false evidence, false statements, or other deceptive practices during the disciplinary process;
9.22(g) refusal to acknowledge wrongful nature of conduct; and,
9.22(i) substantial experience in the practice of law.


We're still reading the full report at the moment, as it's 169 pages long, but of special interest to people without a grounding in law would be the following statements written on pages 165-166 of the PDF file (note that Jack Thompson is the respondent noted below):

This Court bases its recommendation on the five (5) separate and distinct cases presented. There is no “isolated incident” involved herein. This case involves factual findings of cumulative misconduct, a repeated pattern of behavior relentlessly forced upon numerous unconnected individuals, a total lack of remorse or even slight acknowledgement of inappropriate conduct, and continued behavior consistent with the previous public reprimand. Additionally, the Court is taking into consideration a review of the Respondent’s conduct not only as proven by the evidence, but by what this Court has witnessed of the Respondent’s behavior throughout the eighteen (18) months of litigation. The undersigned finds no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the Respondent is amenable to rehabilitation, or even remotely appreciates the basis upon which a need or purpose for such rehabilitation is warranted. Thus no indication exists from the totality of the record and Mr. Thompson’s continuing behavior that he will be rehabilitated, follow court orders, and comport himself appropriately and professionally toward judges, attorneys and litigants whose position is in opposition to his.


This Referee has thought about this case on a virtual daily basis, since the appointment as referee was received, with complete appreciation for and understanding of the seriousness of the matters being addressed herein and the repercussions involved. Over a very extended period of time involving a number of totally unrelated cases and individuals, the Respondent has demonstrated a pattern of conduct to strike out harshly, extensively, repeatedly and willfully to simply try to bring as much difficulty, distraction and anguish to those he considers in opposition to his causes. He does not proceed within the guidelines of appropriate professional behavior, but rather uses other means available to intimidate, harass, or bring public disrepute to those whom he perceives oppose him.


Again, you'll want to remember that Judge Tunis' report is only a recommendation to the Florida Bar. The Florida Bar is the one who makes the final outcome based on the recommendation stated in the report.

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16 Comments


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   by Advertising -
   by ISOHaven - 2008-07-09
 » WTF!?!?!?!?!

Wow! No flame fest yet? Hello!!! Anyone alive out there?

   by Justingraziano - 2008-07-09
 » Nooo...

Only ten (10) years? He might come back one day then!!!


   Re: Mal F4cti0n - 2008-07-14
 » Yesssss....

Original recommendation was disbarment for a ten year period. This judge recommends permanent disbarment.
   by spicyhamster - 2008-07-09
 » sweet

pwnt.

   by FreePlay - 2008-07-09
 » :D

:D

   by scott1234 - 2008-07-09
 » haha

douchebag (did i spell that right?)


   Re: Lunisneko - 2008-07-10
 » reference!

Doesn't matter. The meaning of that word's never been the same since President Douchebag. :
   by lavino - 2008-07-09
 » I recommand...

hang him at high noon until he's dead dead dead....


   Re: RommelTJ - 2008-07-09
 » I recommend...

that you finish your High School education.
   by avatar76 - 2008-07-09
 » I find it hard to hate this guy

In some ways I understand where he's coming from there are really bad games out there that kids should never play. The problem is with retailers and parents not waking up to the fact that games usually aren't for kids anymore. The average age of the gaming demographic is getting older and older as the GenYs make their way up the age brackets (people born after 1976). I agree that games like Grand Theft Auto are harmful to children and that they should not be playing them, but year he went about fixing it all wrong. This is a really tough sentence and the guy is probably as good as dead now. He'll make money telling his story no doubt but his carreer is over, that's going to be tought to recover from.


   Re: Annony - 2008-07-09
 » The reason I, personally, don't like the guy...

I agree that there are games, like movies and music, that shouldn't be accessible to children, and I can't hate a guy for pushing for rating systems or parental awareness.

However, Jack Thompson is a liar, plain and simple. He has, on multiple accounts, played 'ambulance chaser' after a school shooting and made connections between the perpetrator and violent video games, even when (like in the case of the Virginia Tech shooting) there is no proof that the shooter was a gamer. The shooter was a sociopath with a history of violence and was heavily medicated (like almost all of the murderers); whether he was a gamer is unproven. He then publicizes his 'connections to video games' on TV, newspapers, or whatnot for personal gain.

He is also just a jerk. He has, multiple times in the past, made brash comparisons to gamers being along the lines of 'hypnotized zombie killers and rapists' who are all ready to snap at any moment. He has bullied his critics (even the more civil ones) with 'Cease and Desist' orders because he claims 'it will incite all of those crazy gamers to try to kill him' (see VGCats.com or Penny-Arcade.com for examples).

The man is a manipulative and hot-tempered tragedy tourist, and that was what he had a disbarment hearing. When he stormed out of his own hearing he dug his own grave, and I don't feel sorry for him one bit.

But that's my opinion.

   Re: Kaneco - 2008-07-09
 » @ Annony

Yeah, it's all true.

Therefore I don't any sort of pitty for this guy,
he deserves it.

He also tried to take down the famous show
of Howard Stern, calling it too inappropiate
for television...but abc(I believe) gave him
the boot on the face and refused to take it
down, because it was the highest rated
program on abc. Then he just got in the
gaming business afterwards.

Annony, I support your opinion all the way.

I hated when he tried to connect the Virginia
Tech Shootings with Violent video games,
because I was going all over msn and looked
at all of the interviews with the roommates
that tragic day and got really pissed when
Jack's statement surfaced.

   Re: Mal F4cti0n - 2008-07-14
 » True, but...

I can understand his case, just not his behavior.

He does not argue those who oppose him, he simply calls them names and attacks them personally.

Did you see his response to this judge's report? He basically says she is a loon and needs to have her head examined, or that she is obviously in the pockets of the games industry.

You can't have a coherent conversation with the guy. As soon as you try to disagree with him, he calls you a poo-poohead and makes fun of your mother. Does that sound like someone hard to hate? I don't think so.
   by Binary - 2008-07-09
 » ..

Jack told me Tic Tac Toe is worse then GTAIV

   by Binary - 2008-07-09
 » oh and

would somebody tell fox news to not air that bastard so the next school shoot out would be non-game related

   by dark420bishop - 2008-07-11
 » Insane person

They should have this lunatic committed, not just disbarred.



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