The video does make a good point, however, especially to those of us who begin playing The Sims games with the purest of intentions, only to discover that we're really sadistic bastards when no one is looking. Show of hands, please!

Kotaku has been following this story closely since it began in early 2008. 16-year-old Daniel Petric, angered at his parents for taking away the copy of Halo 3 that he had purchased against their wishes, shot both of his parents in the head with his father's 9mm handgun, after requesting that they close their eyes because he had "a surprise" for them. While his father, minister Mark Petric, survived the shooting, his mother did not.

Defense lawyers argued video game obsession as a motivating factor behind the killing...that Daniel didn't think the deaths would be real due to his immersion in Halo 3. While the defense was not enough to save the teen from being convicted in January of this year, it did have an effect on the sentence that Petric received this morning.

Instead of the full life sentence prosecutors were aiming for, Daniel Petric was instead sentenced with 23 years to life, with the possibility of parole after 23 years have been served. Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge addressed the video game issue during the sentencing itself, claiming that it was a factor in his final decision.

I suppose the question we have to ask ourselves now is how heavily does the opinion of one common pleas judge weigh on the court system as a whole? We've seen the video game defense fail time and time again in courtrooms across the country, and while it didn't get the defendant off the hook on this occasion, it certainly had some impact. Does this sentence validate the game addiction defense, or is it simply an isolated event?

Update: Clarified sentencing terms.

Teen Who Killed Mother Over Video Game Gets 23 Years to Life [Fox 8 Cleveland]

Authorities say that 25-year-old Echols was playing a war video game with fellow sailor Louis Urbana on Wednesday afternoon at a San Carlos, California apartment. Police detectives have determined that at some point during game gameplay, Echols pointed a gun at the 20-year-old Urbana. The gun went off and Urbana was shot. According to the police, Echols did not immediately report the shooting, and by the time help arrived Urbana was beyond saving.

Echols was taken into custody later that evening, arrested on suspicion of murder.

While it remains to be seen wheether or not this was a simple accident or a deliberate act, there is a lesson to be learned here. Do not handle firearms when engaged in an activity that requires your fingers to make trigger-pulling movements, or better yet, just don't screw around with loaded weapons.

Man Accused of Killing Fellow Sailor During Video Game [Fox News]

I’ll give you a hint: it’s not game addiction. It’s media coverage.

That’s not to say that 17-year-olds have been committing matricide since time immemorial. Or that the American Psychiatric Association won’t enter video game addiction into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders when review time comes up in 2012. Or that it’s somehow normal to log 100 hours of World of Warcraft in a week.

But I submit that just 10 years ago, Petric’s murder trial would not have gotten this kind of attention from the media. We wouldn’t have headlines like “X-Box Slaying” or “Mortal Kombat Murder.” It would just be “Teen Commits Murder Over Toy” with a quote about how he (or she) seemed like such a nice kid.

So why has the press shifted toward highlighting video games in connection with crime or tragedy? And why are they calling compulsive gaming an “addiction” when the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association haven’t named it so (yet)? Is it because the public really thinks that video games are dangerous?

Or maybe the press is looking for easy headlines. For a little experiment, check out how many hits the razor blade story got this morning. Then check out the murder trial’s hits. And lastly, sit back and see how many hits this page gets.

If we pay this much attention to the topic, it’s no wonder that politicians and lawyers are doing it, too. That scares me because too much attention could legitimize something that might not even be real. Think of the Twinkie Defense in Dan White's murder trial – if politicians, psychologists and TV anchors had bought into it, people might well get away with murder if they can cram down a couple of boxes before getting out their gun.

For more reading on the idea of game addiction (you know, with actual science and stuff), check out:
The Daedalus Project
Stanford School of Medicine’s Recent Study
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry's Reaction to AMA Recommendations on Video Games

As reported previously, Petric had purchased a copy of Halo 3 following his parents' Mark and Susan had forbid him to do so. After having the game confiscated, Daniel broke into his father's lock box, which held the game and a 9mm handgun, entered the living room of his house, asked his parents to close their eyes, and shot both of them in the head, killing his mother and wounding his father.

Petric's lawyers argued that video game addiction had driven the teen to the crime, but Common Pleas Judge James Burge found otherwise. Petric now faces up a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

Once again my condolences go out to the Petric family for this horrible tragedy, though I sincerely hope Daniel doesn't see the outside of a prison for quite a long line.
Teen convicted of killing mother over video game [Associated Press]

College Humor takes a startling look at a man pushed to the very edge. He cannot hunt. His car won't start. He cannot please his woman orally. Every step of the way the laughing dog berates and belittles him until he finally snaps. It's sort of like that one movie where Michael Douglas wants a biscuit but breakfast has just ended. Actually it's almost nothing like that...I just really could go for a biscuit right about now.

Speaking of biscuits, I've placed the video a bit further down the page due to suggested NSFW failed oral pleasure.

According to prosectors, Petric, 16 at the time of the shooting, was forbidden to buy Halo 3 by his parents, Mark and Susan Petric. The teen snuck out to purchase the game anyway, and was caught by his parents upon his return. The game was locked up in Mark's lockbox, along with a 9mm handgun.

Mark Petric, a minister at the Life Assembly of God in Wellington, Ohio, testified that soon after on the evening of October 20th, 2007, his son entered the family room with a request.

"Would you guys close your eyes," Daniel Petric asked. "I have a surprise for you."

It was then that Daniel Petric allegedly shot both of his parents in the head, killing his mother instantly. Mark Petric survived due to the timely arrival of his daughter and her husband, who had arrived to watch a Cleveland Indians game.

It's just an amazingly heart-wrenching story, made even more so by the following exchange between father and son related by Mark Petric during testimony:

"Dad, I'm so sorry for what I did to Mom, to you and to the family," Daniel Petric said, according to his father. "I'm so glad you are alive."

"You're my son," Mark Petric responded. "You're my boy."

Lawyers for the accused delivered a brief statement at the opening of the trial, explaining that their client had be under a large amount of stress after being homebound for a year due to a snowboarding accident with nothing to do but watch television and play video games.

I really don't know what to think about this case. The parents were doing what I always suggest parents do, monitoring their son's gameplay and making sure he doesn't play what they don't approve of. Sadly in this case it backfired.

Without knowing more about the family - specifically about Daniel Petric - there's no real way of knowing why this happened. I suspect the boy's lawyers might have a point about being homebound for a year, especially if Daniel was an active teen, as the snowboarding incident seems to suggest.

It's a tragic story that really leaves me with conflicting emotions. On one hand, the fact that a teenager can feel so entitled to something that he'd kill for it worries the hell out of me. At the same time, the fact that the father can forgive him for what he had done is a strong testament to the power of both family and forgiveness. Interpret it how you will.

Daniel Petric killed mother, shot father because they took Halo 3 video game, prosecutors say [Cleveland.com]

"I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry," the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.

My god, do you know what this means? I need to start playing Maple Story immediately!

Online divorcee jailed after killing virtual hubby [Yahoo! News - Thanks Russ!]

The unnamed suspect is believed to have had a disagreement with Pyke on Wars Central - a forum for fans of the Advance Wars series that Pyke moderated.

Police allege that the 21 year old man traveled to Nottingham, UK, and gained entry to Pyke's flat where he stabbed the 20 year old student to death. Pyke's body was discovered last Friday by his girlfriend, also a site moderator.

Computer gamer held over student's killing[Guardian]

According to a report from the AP, Capri Walker, 51, was found beaten to death in her home after intercepting a burglary attempt. The two teens charged with the crime are just 14 and 15 years old.

Kenosha police chief John Morrissey said of the crime ‘‘It’s just frustrating and mind-boggling that these two young individuals would murder Ms. Walker. They were neighbors. It’s a tragic, tragic ending for her." *sigh*

Kenosha, Wis., boys accused of killing woman, 51, for Xbox [Chicago Sun Times]

23-year-old Geovany Rivera, recently named to the marshal's 15 most-wanted list, was arrested late last night by the U.S. Marshalls Service at a cousin's house in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Rivera. a former EB Games employee, had long been a suspect in the case, with one witness having told the police that the suspect approached him on the morning before the crime suggesting they rob the store. Homicide detectives applied for a warrant to do DNA test on Rivera this past January after a short black hair had been found near the body.

Rivera was in a federal holding facility in Laredo as of late last night, from which he will be transferred to Bexar County to face charges of capital murder, along with two unrelated counts of sexual assualt stemming from unrelated incidents. On the arrest, deputy marshal and lead investigator Bobby Hogeland described the suspect's reaction as "very surprised".

“He thought he was going to evade the law, but that wasn't the case,” Hogeland said...But, he noted, though the arrest brings some satisfaction, Belken's parents “are still going to have to live with this for a long, long time.”

It should be noted that this particular case resulted in one of the largest rewards in San Antonio's history - $100,000, $95,000 of which was put up from EB Games.

Suspect in EB Games killing arrested [My San Antonio News - Thanks Jason]
[Image]

"I'll be honest here, I went out to my car and ten of the little guys were wandering around, bumping into each other and wearing little sandwich boards reading 'Will Work for Hats,'" said Steve Taylor, President of NinjaBee. "We couldn't put them out on the streets after they worked so hard on our game, so we hired them to help around the office. They follow directions to the letter and are very friendly, but not too smart. The way I see it, what could go wrong?"

What could go wrong? How about....MURDER!? Look for A Kingdom of Keflings this fall, unless the authorities find the bodies first.

STUDIO HIRES 20 NEW EMPLOYEES, ALL 3 FEET TALL

NinjaBee, now with more Keflings!

Orem, Utah - June 4, 2008 - NinjaBee, a leading independent developer of Xbox LIVE® Arcade titles, announced today it has hired 20 Keflings to help around the office. Featured in their newest Xbox LIVE Arcade Title, A Kingdom for Keflings, the Keflings are short, happy beings who aren't afraid of a bit of hard work. Once production slowed on the studio's newest city-building game, the Keflings became aimless without constant direction.

"I'll be honest here, I went out to my car and ten of the little guys were wandering around, bumping into each other and wearing little sandwich boards reading 'Will Work for Hats,'" said Steve Taylor, President of NinjaBee. "We couldn't put them out on the streets after they worked so hard on our game, so we hired them to help around the office. They follow directions to the letter and are very friendly, but not too smart. The way I see it, what could go wrong?"

The Keflings are expected to work everywhere from the art department to the copy room and will surely remain happy and occupied. The new title, A Kingdom for Keflings, will feature fun and light-hearted gameplay with graphics and original music to match. Look for A Kingdom for Keflings on Xbox LIVE Arcade this fall.

They dealt with it with a videogame called Hitman that he used to watch, and it was a video game where you got impressions that you would kill somebody - hit them from their backside, where they were not aware that they were being killed.

CNN Video Report On Trial [CNN via GamePolitics ]

Witnesses told authorities that Suarez then put the gun down on the kitchen counter and began saying, "This just didn't happen," according to court documents.

This is similar to the incident back in July, where a young boy stabbed his older brother to death for not letting him have his turn at a video game, in both situation and press reaction. Some of the headlines I have seen include:

Family: Game led to teen's murder - BostonHerald.com
Video game linked to fatal shooting in Brockton - The Patriot Ledger

Just don't be surprised if the major news outlets pick this up with accompanying inflammatory anti-video gaming headline.

Video game linked to fatal shooting of 15-year-old [Wicked Local Brockton]

Both Henry and Southern said Trujillo was never violent toward their children, and they never saw her use any Mortal Kombat moves. Southern said she thinks Roberts made up the Mortal Kombat story to look tough. "Lamar changed her. He was a thief and not a very good person," Southern said.

Is Brutal "Mortal Kombat Murder" Lacking the Mortal Kombat Part? [Game Politics]

Video game obsession is what lead to the beating death of 17-month-old Alayiah Turman, an Assistant District Attorney said yesterday in the closing arguments of Tyrone Spellman's murder trial.

"(Spellman's) entire life and daily routine is about playing (Ghost Recon).

"What do you think someone with that kind of obsession is going to do when it gets knocked over? What do you think is going to happen?

"The skull fractures on that baby are what happened."

Prosecutors say that Spellman was obsessed with video games, that he played them up to six hours a day. They say that in September 2006 Spellman beat his daughter, Alayiah Turman, to death after she knocked over his Xbox 360 while he was playing Ghost Recon.

Spellman's defense attorney cast blame on the child's mother and said that the confession was coerced. The case was handed to the jury yesterday afternoon, but they had still not reached a verdict last night and were set to return today to continue deliberation.

Jury talking in infant-death case [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

I contacted another local GameStop location for comment this morning, but they were busy on a conference call about this very incident.

This is a GameStop I visit on occasion, so I am very interested in seeing justice done here. Police are currently looking for any information that will help them catch the robber turned killer. Hit the link below for a video that includes the suspect's description as well as details on the car he used to flee from the scene. We offer our condolences to Matthew's friends, family, and co-workers.

Man Dies During Robbery At Video Game Store [WSB Atlanta - Thanks Captain Download]
Photo Courtesy of Mike Morris of the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Needless to say, temperatures rise, fans kick in, then more fans kick in, then some new, untold level of nuclear reactor-grade cooling kicks in deep within the bowels of the PS3, and the first thing I know of this is when a little voice cries, "Dad, something's wrong with my game."

Conditions in the confined space had become so super-heated that the 360 red-ringed out, big time. So. Bottom line, my PS3 killed my 360.

Death by heating fan. Could be the first, probably won't be the last. Kim Phu

My PS3 just killed my 360 [John Davison's Page at 1Up]

A 22-year-old Ukrainian gamer, considered one of the top Lineage II players in Europe, stomped another gamer to death after the man tried to stop a fight between rival clan members, The Moscow Times reports.

Alexander "DVP" Ponamorenko has been arrested and charged with the beating death of Alexander "Sverkh" Blyoskin, 22, who was trying to break-up a fight between Ponamorenko and his online nemesis, known only as Shtai, a friend of Blyoskin, according to the Basmanny District Prosecutor's Office.

The three were at a gathering of 20 to 30 Lineage II gamers at a cafe in central Moscow on Jan. 12 when the fight broke out.

Everybody in the room noticed how the expression on DVP's face changed when he saw Shtai," a witness and fellow gamer, identified only as Pavel, told Rossia television on Saturday.

Ponamorenko and Kirill took things outside, and after the two came to blows, Blyoskin, a student at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and a friend of Kirill's, tried to calm Ponamorenko down, Tatarinova said.

Accounts differ as to what happened next. Some witnesses say Ponamorenko punched Blyoskin, who played Lineage II under the nickname "Sverkh," and that the student fell and hit his head on the asphalt, Rossia television reported.

Tatarinova, however, said Ponamorenko stomped on Blyoskin's head while he lay on the ground.

Blyoskin was taken to a local hospital where he died four days later. He was buried at Moscow's Domodedovskoye cemetery on Jan. 19.

As one of my friend's pointed out when I told him about this sad story: If it wasn't a game gathering it would have been a soccer match or just everyday barroom brawl. Brian Crecente

Virtual Conflict Ends in Real Death [Moscow Times, via Koster]

Managers found Amber Belken, 24, at the store about 2 p.m. after going by the store to see why she wasn't answering the phone. Police said a witness saw Belken enter the store alone around 9 a.m. and that they believe she was confronted by her killer as she prepared for the store's 10 a.m. opening.

Police believe robbery to be the motive in the killing. Anyone who lives in the area and was near the store between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. should call police, 210-207-7635 if they have any information. Brian Crecente

Clerk Found Dead in Video Game Store [KSAT]