Manhunt blamed for teenage murder, right-minded people urged to "Ban this sick filth now!"

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Last February, British teenager Warren Leblanc equipped himself with a claw hammer and knife, then went out and murdered a 14 year old acquaintance of his. Warren had a copy of Rockstar's Manhunt, and now the game is being blamed for the killing.

Parents of murdered 14-year-old Stefan Pakeerah expressed their concerns that the murder was linked to the game (knives and hammers being equippable weapons in the title), that Leblanc had been "obsessed" with the game and that its marketing as a "psychological experience" might have aided in the blurring of the reality/game boundary.

The usual tabloid hysteria follows, with papers screaming for all violent videogames to be banned, or at the least for the UK to follow in the footsteps of New Zealand, where Manhunt has been banned for the last six months. Meanwhile ELSPA fought a rearguard action, pointing out that Manhunt is an "18" rated title, that it is not for children, and that Leblanc should not have been in posession of a copy.

Rather than blame the videogames, the parents, the law, society, or just "the world we live in", it appears that the British Judiciary have taken the sensible step of blaming the murderer, who can expect a life sentence to be handed down shortly.

Meanwhile in a knee-jerk reaction to the media feeding frenzy, UK electronic goods retailer Dixons and games chain Game have pulled the game from their shelves. Far be it from us to suggest that a solid age-rating enforcement policy would be more beneficial...

Posted by Bob Watson

Associated Games
- Manhunt

Associated Companies
- Rockstar North Ltd.
- Rockstar Games

[Simon]

Blaming the murderer is the right thing. The media (at least in Britain) has a terrible habit of pointing the finger away from the moron who actually kills or injures someone, and suggesting that they were simply influenced by something they watched/played and so that's what's to blame. The influence sometimes seems undeniable, but people have to be considered responsible for what they do.

I can't remember if we actually had a case quite like this before, but I do remember a lot of stuff in press about the potential violent influence of Doom, Carmageddon, and GTA - probably a few other games too. It comes up all the time, but I always think the same - introduce some tighter age restrictions and blame the murderer, not the game, TV show, movie, book, musical, opera, seaside puppet show etc.

[DanJW]

A more balanced article than most other sources is available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3936237.stm

[Spaff]

there was a good quote in the Daily Mail from one of the fathers of one of the kids saying

'I liken this game to the child pornogrophy used by peadophiles'

¬

[manny_c44]

Drug Lords will really have it made if they can pass off responsibilities to our mushroom taking friend mario.

It seems people forget about all of the hammer-related violence in the world before 1989. I mean it goes all the way back to Loki! But he probably did get the inspiration from the game, since Norse mythology is being read less every year in public schools (check out the online petition fighting against this here). Oh well, another slow news day, another attack on happiness.

[vansau.old]

The Daily Mail is also the news rag that ran the headline "Murder By Playstation". Apparently these guys were absent the day that ethical reporting was covered in journalism class.

[b0b]

ethical reporting and british tabloids go together like cute kittens and microwave ovens.

i.e. not really a combination any sane person would consider...