Two Teens Kill 7-Year-Old Girl with Supposed Mortal Kombat Moves

by John Kershaw on December 20, 2007 at 2:05 am

Heather Trujillo (sister) and Lamar Roberts (boyfriend) charged.

Two teenagers have been charged with killing one of the pairs’ own 7-year-old sister using alleged Mortal Kombat imitation moves. The 16 and 17 year old teens were babysitting the child while the girl’s mother was at work when the incident happened.

The two teens reportedly hit, kicked, and body-slammed 7-year-old Zoe Garcia, causing “a broken wrist, more than 20 bruises, swelling of the brain, and bleeding in her neck muscles and under her spine”, the affidavits have said. Prosecutors are claiming the teens were imitating “wrestling moves” found in the Mortal Kombat video game.

The 17 year old Roberts claimed he was downstairs at the time, drunk and playing video games, but witnesses told authorities otherwise. One witness stated that according to Roberts, Zoe pleaded with them to stop wrestling with her, but he did not stop. When asked why he refused to stop, Roberts answered “I don’t know; I was drunk.”

There is no defense for this kind of crime. The pure malice you need in order to kill a 7 year old girl that brutally does not come, nor is there any evidence it comes from, video games. The fact video games are being dragged into this horrendous debacle is indicative of the current state of affairs and only reinforces the publics misconceived perception regarding the impact of videogame violence.

If the two teens are convicted, they face up to 48 years in prison.

Read the full story here.

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Tags: Mortal-Kombat, videogame-violence, Zoe-Garcia

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Comments »

Kakkoii
on December 20, 2007 3:18 am

Yeah it’s a real shame when people have to bring video games into the story.

People need to realize that it doesn’t matter if they were imitating a video game or not. Because they would still be doing the same thing, just maybe in a different way.

But the outcome would still be the same. Video game or not.
zetec
on December 20, 2007 6:38 am

Mortal Kombat and Wrestling moves? Hopefully everyone will realize this “Connection” is bullshit before Jack Thompson jumps all over this.

(For the record, there are no moves that even resemble “wrestling moves” in Mortal Kombat.)

This has nothing to do with the game, just a bunch of sick people beating a poor girl to death.
Maggie
on December 20, 2007 11:08 am

I really hate seeing video games brought into the limelight yet AGAIN due to the moronic, malicious actions of two stupid kids. It’s not the video games fault, but you can bet people like Jack Thompson will happily jump all over it, because people would rather shirk responsibility than admit these two were clearly raised wrong if they considered body slamming and beating on a 7 year old until death acceptable.
Bryan
on December 20, 2007 11:09 am

Maybe im crazy. But i dont recall sub-zero or scorpion doing body slams. WTF? I dont understand why we can never put the blame where it belongs. so sad.
chemartista
on December 20, 2007 11:11 am

Yes, it is a shame that video games are a part of this. I do think that if Mortal Kombat weren’t part of the equation that things would be different because MK kind of acted as the inspiration to commit those actions in this case. But, that doesn’t excuse their negligence and stupidity. I say give them both the death penalty. They don’t look like they could have contributed much to society in the future anyway.
Charlie
on December 20, 2007 11:14 am

I like video games/movies with violence, I haven’t body slammed anybody to their death. Why aren’t they talking more in the article about how the 16 & 17 year olds were drunk? Where were the parents when this was happening?
Travis T
on December 20, 2007 11:24 am

Now, I’m a little confused here. Was it “wrestling moves” or “Mortal Kombat” the cause of this inexcusable death? If we’re saying it was wrestling moves, let’s blame the cause of that on the Wrestling industry instead. If the kids were pulling out hearts and lighting other people on fire with their magical fire breath, then let’s blame video games. Why not blame the alcoholic beverage industry while we’re it since the kids were reportedly “drunk”. Or maybe we can blame the parents. Maybe it was another case of bad parenting.

Either way, it’s another instance of in which a young child has been killed for no good possible reason by two delinquents and their irresponsibility. Whoever it may be, from the media to police to local activists, let’s stop finding whatever scapegoat we can to blame situations on and try to find the real cause of these problems.
Marcel
on December 20, 2007 11:26 am

It proves that video games are not for idiots.

Anyone under 18 should not play MK. That’s not obvious to many parents though.
Scott
on December 20, 2007 11:28 am

I’ve played every Mortal Kombat game ever released. I never felt like beating someone to death with the games in mind. I hope they like the new kind of wrestling they will experience in jail
tony
on December 20, 2007 11:39 am

“Mortal Kombat moves”? 1991 called, they want their excuses back.
tony
on December 20, 2007 11:40 am

“Mortal Kombat moves”? 1991 called, they want their excuses back. Whats next, Wolfenstein 3d caused a school shooting?
Mathew Smith
on December 20, 2007 11:40 am

Toasty!
Genji Works
on December 20, 2007 11:42 am

It’s a good thing that the General Surgeon’s findings state Video Games is not responsible for violence. Not to mention Mortal Kombat is - Rated M, meaning the game company is absolved of the responsibility and the blame is brought to the person that bought it.

Whatever the case… The little girl was hit repeatedly meaning they could have stopped it the minute she cried in pain… but instead they continued the assault… That’s cold hearted… and they did WRESTLING MOVES. LAst I check that’s WWF…

In the end people who go to jail due to child killings, will themselves get a FATALITY in the end… Blee.
Rob McGregor
on December 20, 2007 11:44 am

Oh my god - this is terrible. I mean look at the issue here, hands are to blame. No one with hands can be trusted now. We all have to get rid of hands immediately and make the world a safer place. God, this is so bad - I’m gonna cut my hands off right now so I can never use them for evil.
Will
on December 20, 2007 11:47 am

If they are referring to the new Mortal Kombat video game, that game in fact has a rating of Mature! They shouldn’t have ever seen it anyway. Blame the parents, its always their fault. Always.
Jay
on December 20, 2007 11:54 am

Does Colorado have the death penalty? If it hasn’t been repealed it should definitely be called for. Aside from the fact that these two kids look mentally handicapped the parents should be charged as well.
andrew
on December 20, 2007 11:55 am

better graphics might have something to do with it as well. The more realistic these games become, the more inbeded it will become in the minds of the ignorant.
fwhite
on December 20, 2007 12:05 pm

How can they claim that this was Mortal Kombat exactly? Did they successfully execute a fatality in real life? That should be a more news-worthy story. Don’t blame video games, drunken rage and bad decisions are what caused this girl to die.
brokencrystal
on December 20, 2007 12:06 pm

These people are sick. I wouldn’t blame video games. Some people need their heads evaluated. Why would you kill your little sister? Why would you beat her to death? They didn’t have any remorse. There is obviously a problem with these kids. They need to be put in prison because they have no kind of reasoning or remorse for others. Something is wrong with these idiots. Sorry, but there is no excuse for this kind of stupidity. This was a defenseless little girl.
blindsteel
on December 20, 2007 12:09 pm

“The 17 year old Roberts claimed he was downstairs at the time, drunk and playing video games but witnesses have told otherwise.” WTF were these witnesses doing while this little girl was getting killed?
Meep
on December 20, 2007 12:11 pm

MK? I thought we were going to see a harpoon or flip kick or something….. body slam? That could be WWE, ultimate fighting, any number of other things…. OR it could be mentally unstable children not receiving the help or parental supervision they require….
Roo
on December 20, 2007 12:11 pm

I see we have many people here who believe catharsis is real and that violent media has no effect on them.

Hah.
Brandon
on December 20, 2007 12:12 pm

It had nothing to do with video games. People should be more concerned with why these teens were drinking alcohol illegally.
Feldwebel Wolfenstool
on December 20, 2007 12:19 pm

I wonder if they ever blamed John Wayne or AAhnald Shawznegger movies for anything?
CareBear
on December 20, 2007 12:28 pm

Seems to me that they could just as easly blame this on the WWF as they could on the “Wrestling” game Mortal Combat.
Patrick
on December 20, 2007 12:28 pm

Yeah because mortal kombat has all kind of WRESTLING MOVES in it. Blah. How drunk do you have to be to realize your just an idiot?
Jeremy
on December 20, 2007 12:36 pm

Mortal Kombat was released before these two defendants were born. Do most households have an NES or Sega Genesis console? The media might as well blame KISS or Ozzy Osbourne for these kids’ behavior. These two have no excuse for their reprehensible cruelty, and the media has no excuse for blaming anything other than the culprits themselves.
Mitchell
on December 20, 2007 12:40 pm

You know folks, I don’t know why any of ya’ll are up here trying to defend the gaming industry. Think people! Think! It doesn’t take a genius to understand that games whether violent or not do have an influence on the mind of a child as well as adults. That is the bottom line. That will always be the case. It’s no different than the kid who learned how to drive playing race car video games as he stated himself on Dr. Phil’s show some time back. Or what about the adult male who became obsessive of a particular pc game and got himself and apartment and later he was found dead at his pc?! I even found myself being emotionally influenced by a war games as if I were actually there. I was able to control it though. So don’t play dumb! You’d be an absolute FOOL to think video games didn’t have their hand in influencing this incident. Kids tend to want to imitate what they see. We all know that! Some choose to imitate other things less violent while others choose violent. Hell even adults do. Blame is ultimately on the person who acts, but you can’t ignore the heavy influence of games just as movies are, television in general, music and so on. Games are no exception to the rule. So all influences that had it’s hand in this terrible act is the drinking, games, and god knows what else. But yes it’s ultimately the fault of the person who did the act. And heck yea, if they killed someone in the process (since I don’t have the facts) I think the death penalty would be an easy way out between that and prison time. No, they need to know what they did and they can think on it for the rest of their life behind bars.
O’Brien
on December 20, 2007 12:44 pm

These happenings are isolated incidents,not a trend of wanton acts of sibling slaughter,therefore it’s unfair to cast blame at games,sports ent. or mature content everytime it occurs, it’s another case ignoring that little voice that says “think!”.
1moredigg
on December 20, 2007 12:44 pm

I played video games all the time(still do now)…
BUT I never killed my younger sister!

There just twisted and should be locked away for LIFE.
Hax Or
on December 20, 2007 12:44 pm

Mitchell,

You are ignorant. They were performing wrestling moves and killed her.

The media added in Mortal Kombat to make it more sensational. It has nothing to do with the murderous kids. Mortal Kombat does not feature any ‘wrestling’.

Again, you are the fool.
Jethris
on December 20, 2007 12:56 pm

The teens will be tried as adults.

I remember as a kid watching Steven Segal movies, and practicing the moves with my cousin. It stopped when he landed a round kick on my skull.

Kids will emulate anything. Before video games, it was martial arts and WWF/WWE. Also, BB guns and bows/arrows. Don’t forget light sabers.
kneehighspy
on December 20, 2007 12:56 pm

yeah i have to agree about violent video games being the cause of this. when i was a kid growing up, i too in fact killed someone because i was in fact, influenced by a video game.

i took a big square block (red or a semi red hue color), threw it and hit my friend in the head, it killed him instantly while making a ‘blonk’ sound. we had been playing COMBAT on the atari 2600, curse you atari.

/sarcasm
JustMe
on December 20, 2007 12:59 pm

I can see it now.

Ring.. Ring.. “Hi, This is Jack Thompson calling. Can I have a word with you?
1moredigg
on December 20, 2007 1:00 pm

Mitchell
You are so dumb!!
I have played video games all my life. I have never had a feeling to kill or harm anyone. You would have to be really stupid to get mix up between real life and a computer game. We might have that problem in the future, but for now…

“GAMES HAVE NO INFLUENCE”

I believe everyone takes after there parents or guardians. and should look into there younger childhood!
p.s
you should “THINK!”
Mitchell
on December 20, 2007 1:19 pm

LOL. Wow. I’m guess you all’s mind has not yet fully developed into maturity. When you get a moment take the time to observe human nature. I did state that some choose to act and some choose to not. I even gave an example using myself. I too was emotionally influenced by a game but I controlled it. Some people want to act on what they see. You don’t have to take my word for it. Watch little children when they are watching something so innocent such as Sesame Street. Watch them. So if something so innocent as that can influence a child to want to imitate what they see, then why any different with any sort of media. Games are NOT an exception. It’s ALL MEDIA! Keep living and mark these words this day and you will see for yourself. I haven’t a reason to lie. Just watch people. People act on what they see, just as I have effected you to respond the way that you chose to respond resorting to name calling. Did I call you ignorant? No. I said anyone who thinks that games aren’t influential would be a fool. And if you took that personally, then that’s YOUR fault. See the influence and yet it was caused because you chose to take something out of context that wasn’t me actually calling you a name. How much more influential with video games. Again it’s ALL MEDIA. The point is not Mortal Kombat. If you think it is, then you missed it. Games promote a high level of violence like TV promotes a high level of sex. Violence sells just as sex sells. INFLUENCE ON THE MIND. When you get older take a college course in psychology or better yet just watch people. Again prime example of influence: my post and YOUR chosen response. Despite the ignorant replies, I still stand on what I said because I know influence. I may not have killed someone but you don’t have to get to that point to understand the influence of not just the media (games included) but influence in out day to day living. That’s my point. And if you still don’t understand it, keep living and I guarantee you one day you’ll say “Ohhhhhh! That’s what Mitchell talking about.” It’s real simple folks. Think and watch. You’ll learn a lot.
Dan Blakeman
on December 20, 2007 1:29 pm

haha BABALITY!
david
on December 20, 2007 1:41 pm

GAME OVER!
Adam Zbucki
on December 20, 2007 1:43 pm

This is dumb, Those 2 teens should be charges, but dont blame the video game, they where drunk, so they acted out.
Mitchell
on December 20, 2007 1:46 pm

And before you choose to respond to my posts, be sure you read thoroughly and comprehend what I was saying and don’t interpret it to what you want it to mean but take exactly as I type it. Otherwise your comments will come across as off the mark.

1moredigg: Did I imply in any way that all people respond the same to the influence of the media (games included)?

Hax Or: Leave the immaturity behind when you respond to me. I won’t entertain it. Mortal Kombat wasn’t the main issue. If you think it is then you’ve missed it. And that’s your own fault.

kneehighspy: If your comment was a result of what I stated then you what I typed to Hax Or applies to you, too. In your sarcasm, video games the cause? You should choose your words carefully.

1moredigg: Since you felt you were really on a roll with your comment and decided to comment again, then well my comment above still applies to you. I suppose you think you live in world where everyone responds to everything the same way that you do. Wake up. And if you don’t feel that way, then why did you reply the way that you did?
Leneras
on December 20, 2007 1:53 pm

Mitchell I have qualifications in psychology as well as computing and video game development, so i like to think I have a fairly decent overview of the different parts and how they effect each other on a personal and social equivalent.

With my 15 years of education I can say with a definate and whole hearted conviction that

VIDEO GAMES ARE ….. NOT TO BLAME!!!

“Oh my god did he say..?” - religious fanatics
“I Think he did!” - state-the-obvious-guy
“Thats like so against the media!” - brainwashed mainstream america

but yes it needs to be outlined it is not video games that do this it is the person

“I dont see what your getting at there sonny boy” - cowboy

Well good sir, let me put it into an analogy your prehistoric brain can handle

Person > Gun > Trigger > Bullet > Person (Dead)

Now who do we blame? the person for firing the gun, or the gun for existing to begin with….

Okay now lets put it back on track with what were talking about here

Person > Video Game > Body Slam > Person (Dead)

“Duhh Its the video game…”

*Ahem* Clearly Not…. It Is The PERSON at fault….

Thats my 50 p on the matter :P

Please Discuss!!!
Mitchell
on December 20, 2007 1:54 pm

Adam Zbucki: Don’t blame the video game blame the drinking. Yea that makes sense, blame one but not the other. Riiiiiight.

Well, to anyone attempting to oppose me, give it all you got. You’ll only waste your energy. I stand unmoved in my comments. My comments live around and proves themselves even in your daily life. If you don’t understand what influence and the mind, then sure you’ll oppose me. But those who understand both — ya’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. And to you — kudos! To the rest it may take a rude awakening and I don’t mean in the gaming world either because influence is EVERYWHERE and what moves people to do what they do whether good or bad things. I’m out. If you want to oppose me, like I said I stand unmoved and unimpressed. So my reply to those who oppose what influence is ‘Re-read my posts until it registers.’ or ‘Just hush because it’ll prove itself to you one way or another — I guarantee it.’ C-ya wouldn’t want to be ya! LOL
B B
on December 20, 2007 1:55 pm

Lol why wernt they trying to having sex like every other middle and late teens.
Mitchell
on December 20, 2007 1:59 pm

Leneras - Did I say video games are to blame? Did you see me say anywhere in my post that “It’s the video games’ fault?” or “Video games are at fault here.” I was specific in my choice of words. So much for your “qualifications”. It would be wise to read otherwise you’ll run the risk of looking foolish. Okay. Bye for good.

To the Opposition - Re-read until you get it. I chose my words very carefully and worded my sentences the way that I did to mean exactly what I mean. Take it for exactly as it is and not what YOU want it to mean. Because if you take it in any way other than what I meant it, then your interpretation of it will be inaccurate thus causing you to respond according to inaccuracy. Re-read, live, learn, watch, listen — it’s just part of life.
Logan
on December 20, 2007 2:07 pm

Mitchell makes a good point. People do have the tendency to act on what they see. When little children watch Power Rangers, they begin to Kung-Fu fight until someone gets hurt. If they watch Barney, then there is sharing, caring, and generally lots of fun.

With that said, these two teenagers are being tried as adults. These two have had years to learn the difference between what is right, and what is wrong. They have been given time to be educated on what is real and what is fake. If you were to notice, the boy being charged here is 17, which is old enough to buy M-rated games. This means that our society has deemed him capable of understanding that the violent actions shown in the game are FAKE, and they should not be imitated.

Mitchell, you have many good points on how children imitate what they see. However, imitation will be controlled if children are raised properly to know the difference between right and wrong. Basically everyone that has responded to your initial post has used themselves as an example of why video games could not be the culprit. These people have been raised to know the difference between right and wrong, so they are free to play video games, without the worry that they are going to kill children. However, when people don’t have this idea instilled into their heads, they do moronic things like what has happened to this poor little girl.

Video games only contain a heavy influence on people if they are not regulated by the parents. All media does hold a significant effect on the populous, but only when these people do not know what is real or what is fake. Mortal Kombat is fake, and if they couldn’t realize that from the decapitations and the heart gouging, then you cannot video game influence in this situation, much like any other situation.

Oh, and Mortal Kombat doesn’t really hold any wrestling moves. Body slams are the last thing I think of when I think of Mortal Kombat.
Leneras
on December 20, 2007 2:09 pm

And I Quote :

“You know folks, I don’t know why any of ya’ll are up here trying to defend the gaming industry. Think people! Think! It doesn’t take a genius to understand that games whether violent or not do have an influence on the mind of a child as well as adults. That is the bottom line. ”

In response, there was a study performed I believe in canada, i could be wrong I just went rummaging for my old notes on the trial(experiment) and cant find them but essentially what this study was to prove was whether TV had an effect on behaviour this was done by one town having no TV service at all, another having a single TV channel and another having multi-channels ( i believe it went up to 3 ) . anyways the experimenters were specifically looking for violence being more significant on the playgrounds of the towns with TV channels, well that was there hypothesis on the study. They found it actually made little difference and the study was completed a year later and found that TV doesnt induce aggression, the differences were barely noticable, which lead the scientists to conclude the qualities are already there.

If I find out the study ill post the gritty details down, or if anyone else knows of what study im talking about then it would be helpful to post it up here
Logan
on December 20, 2007 2:10 pm

*Cannot blame video game influence.
Leneras
on December 20, 2007 2:18 pm

At the end of the day it all comes down to taking things with a pinch of salt ( hate that analogy but hey its appropriate ) and being responsible. They were looking after a little girl, while being drunk and this led there actions to get out of control.

I get the influence part of people re-enacting scenes or characters but I think situations like this make it very easy to point the blame at say the video game, or the alcohol, or even the parents.

However at the end of the day as much as we all would like to say “oh this was the cause” we essentially cant and the only real blame lies in the people guilty themselves. Causes did not result in the child dying. It was the result of those people themselves.

We can bicker all day on the theory of what done it, it doesnt detract from these 2 teens being to blame for the incompetence.
Campbell
on December 20, 2007 2:25 pm

MK is no different from WWF or even movies like Die Hard. All of them model very dangerous behavior as acceptable and causing minimal bodily harm. At least Mortal Kombat makes it obviously fantasy. This case should be treated the same way we would treat a death from wrestling imitation.

Tragic to think of someone spending the first 46 years of their adult life in prison, for an accidental death.
B.Stills
on December 20, 2007 2:39 pm

The guy won’t make it in jail for more than a week. F%$#ing monsters
Lily
on December 20, 2007 2:45 pm

She should have picked sub-zero, or at least learned how to block. What’s her new character?
Leneras
on December 20, 2007 2:59 pm

@ Lily, surely she could have just held back towards the other side of the screen :P
My Name
on December 20, 2007 3:01 pm

I SAY THEY BOTH DESERVE A FATALITY!!!!
Robin
on December 20, 2007 3:23 pm

Todays youth is so destroyed. How could you possibly thing its okay to do that to a 7 year old?? Makes me so angry, I agree that they should both rot in hell.
Hax Or
on December 20, 2007 3:27 pm

It was no accident.

These are brainless killers. Period. Casting blame? Get a clue.
Jim
on December 20, 2007 5:12 pm

i’m a very jaded person and this makes me very sad… I have a sister 10 years younger than me, I played Mortal Kombat religiously, I too would wrestle my sister. BUT… I knew my limits. This really almost makes me cry. Video Games may put ideas in peoples heads, but so do all public media. It is the parents responsibility to teach their kids right from wrong.
Tom
on December 20, 2007 5:16 pm

I can’t stand idiots that think video games are even remotely to blame for this sort of thing.

Sure, I’ll accept that violent videogames may desensitize you to violent behavior, but being desensitized to it doesnt make you more likely to commit it. It makes you less likely to give a **** when you see it happen.

‘tards.
Dude
on December 20, 2007 5:16 pm

That’s just stupid to blame a video game for something like this. The people who do these things are already so stupid without the video games that they would do still do it…
Net
on December 20, 2007 5:31 pm

Alright lemme get this straight. These two animals killed a 7yr old with “MK moves” which clearly resemble more the WWF than MK but whatever and they are blaming videogames too.
Sad I agree.

Now my question is: Is that black guy the white girl’s boyfriend?! What a waste, what-a-waste.
Straight out from King Kong I tell ya. Straight out.
Arby
on December 20, 2007 5:31 pm

Why aren’t they blaming the WWE? Or Martial Arts organizations? Or the local liquor store? Or makers of alcoholic drinks? Or the parents for allowing these idiots to have access to alchohol? …
dann
on December 20, 2007 5:44 pm

With out a doubt, people tend to imitate what they see; and in particular what they admire. Sure, kids who watch Power Rangers act out martial arts moves and fight with one another. At times these play battles can end with someone getting hurt. More often the case, when someone gets hurt that is when the play stops. The kids do not continue to beat the injured party into submission and then death.

When kids watch Barney there may be an increase in sharing and cooperative behavior. Just as some of that play time may end in fights of jealousy when one child no longer desires to share the toy he or she has.

In neither case do we blame Power Rangers or Barney for the results of play, be it that they end good or bad. But we cannot deny that in this confluence of events that there is an influence by the entertainment in question. But the influence by the entertainment is not the direct cause, nor has it been shown to be a significant cause in the end results of the event.

More than likely what we see in situations that this article relates is that the individuals who have committed the antisocial behaviors have a history of such behavior directly influenced by their family and environment in total. Removing video games is more than likely not going to change the end result of said person’s life. Furthermore, there have been patterns of such anti-social behavior all throughout history indicative not of the popular culture at the time, but of neglect and abuse, primarily in childhood.

Now there are some very rare cases where chemical instability or brain damage brought on by physical trauma have resulted in anti-social behavioral changes in a well established, well developed individual; but those cases are far from the norm and are beyond the scope of the issue at hand.

The sad situation is that the family life these children come from is more statistically significant than any video games or other forms of entertainment in the death of this little girl. There is no doubt the ultimate responsibility for this tragedy lies at the feet of the two responsible for landing the blows. And this responsibility increases with age of course. But yet the sad fact is that while the responsibility is ultimately with the two murders, a good deal rests with their parents.
Delta009
on December 20, 2007 6:58 pm

It’s kind of sad and ironic at the same time : there’s a randomly displayed logo at the top of this page.

The one I see at the moment is Scoprion from MK shouting “Get Over Here!”…
Michael Allen
on December 20, 2007 7:21 pm

Video games do not kill people.
However, drunk idiot teenagers with no regards for the life of a child apparently do.
Bringing a video game into this is apparently a lame attempt at defense, but it’s a f***ing 7 year old child.
You lose idiots.
Nick
on December 20, 2007 7:46 pm

["There is no defense for this kind of crime. The pure malice you need in order to kill a 7 year old girl that brutally does not come, nor is there any evidence it comes from, video games. The fact video games are being dragged into this horrendous debacle is indicative of the current state of affairs and only reinforces the publics misconceived perception regarding the impact of videogame violence."]

Amen! If this is proven in court, I’m not sure if 48 years is long enough.
Coda
on December 20, 2007 7:46 pm

Well I think blaming the games on this one has nothing to do with anything he was drunk blame that!
Mic
on December 20, 2007 9:30 pm

I Blame Bush, Pong, Atari, Soft Drinks, Ritalin, EA, IRS, and whom ever else… What this shows is an echo from all corner of humanity lack of accountability

Cheers!

Me: No COD sir, yes that is correct NextDay Air Fedex; Recipient? Yes that is Correct Hell!
som
on December 20, 2007 10:38 pm

I really need to question the objectivity of all those that claim that video games have nothing do with this. It may be true, this particular game might not have wrestling moves, but youre kidding yourself if kids dont try to emulate what they see in games.
charles
on December 20, 2007 10:50 pm

Some of these posts are just unbelievable. This is just a case of irresponsibility and the videogame has nothing to do with this. The parents went out, the older sister invited over her boyfriend to help babysit, the two got drunk, the boyfriend attacked the little sister, the older sister was to drunk to realize what was going on.

To the adults, I will admit that videogames and violent television can have effects on people, especially children. That still has nothing to do with the fact that these were two drunk teenagers. I’m 17 and even I can get this.

I play games. What kid doesn’t. MK isn’t really this death simulator people seem to think it is. It’s always been this cartoony game that was over-the-top and crazy, like a Looney Toons cartoon but with excess blood. It really doesn’t teach you to fight.
Keith
on December 21, 2007 4:01 am

The media cannot and should not be blamed for this. People were killing and children were fighting long before the “media” as we know it came to be. For thousands of years humans have been killing each other so to blame video games, movies or the media in general is irresponsible and immature of all men. The blame falls squarely upon the shoulders of those involved. The charged for committing the act and the parents for not recognizing the problems early in their lives. Mitchell, your arrogance astounds me. Even while throwing the “it is ultimately their own fault” buy out you still are irresponsibly throwing the fault at the “media” because it is something you can bash without confrontation. It is “Big Brother” that is popular to blame because it keeps us from looking at ourselves and admitting that we are to blame for our own actions. Your emotional reaction to games and my emotional reactions to games are not the games fault but our immaturity in controlling our emotions on something as ridiculous as a video game. But we can blame it on media because then we can ignore our own immaturity. We all need to grow up and take responsibility for our actions in all things. Influence doesn’t force anyone to act in anyway. Barney doesn’t promote good will and cheer any more than MacGyver created geniuses. Our nature is our nature and nothing can or will alter that outside of chemical imbalances or supernatural experiences. Let’s place the blame on who is to blame and not be fooled by anything else.
Ugly American
on December 21, 2007 5:20 am

Blame pants. I bet he was wearing pants. In fact most killers either wear pants while they kill or wore pants at some time before they murder.

Some people like to blame video games but have no evidence that Saddam or Hitler ever played video games. But we have lots of evidence they wore pants.
Darryl Cannon
on December 21, 2007 6:21 am

Yeah he was drunk but let’s blame the video games.
Kevin
on December 21, 2007 11:18 am

Video games do not kill people.
However, drunk idiot teenagers with no regards for the life of a child apparently do.
Bringing a video game into this is apparently a lame attempt at defense, but it’s a f***ing 7 year old child.
You lose idiots.

Uh Yeah? Bet they grew into drunken idiot teenagers with no regards for life after watching 1000’s of hour of media glorifying that kind of behavior. Geez. Just because you like that garbage doesn’t make it good.
Kevin
on December 21, 2007 11:25 am

—The media cannot and should not be blamed for this. People were killing and children were fighting long before the “media” as we know it came to be. For thousands of years humans have been killing each other so to blame video games, movies or the media in general is irresponsible and immature of all men.

Again. The people in history more likely to be violent were most likely exposed to violence. We aren’t saying its ONLY Video Games but the exposure to constant violence desensitizes and lowers a threshold. In the future when video games are as real as the Holodeck from Star Trek will it still not influence people because it’s not physically real? Please!
Marilyn
on December 22, 2007 1:37 am

Those “BAD SEEDS” took an innocent life! The excuse they have given already has people disagreeing with each other. What if you are on the Jury when they go to trial? It only takes one juror, to disagree with the others, for those “BAD SEEDS” to not get the DEATH PENALTY!Do you think their excuse will save them from their own deaths?
bub
on December 22, 2007 7:58 am

There’s a lot more to this story than we’ve heard. I’d like to know how many people were in the house and why no one intervened.
There was a 6 year old girl killed by a 12 yo boy in Florida not so long ago. He was using her as a crash dummy practicing wrestling moves. I think these 2 half-wits were probably doing the same.

Truth be known, this girl’s negligent parents really needed a babysitter for the 16 yo, not the 7.
CR
on December 26, 2007 5:03 pm

I have been playing all kinds of video games that invole everything from bayoneting Germans at arms length simulated combat to running over lunching Miami citizens with a poorly rendered Boss Mustang.

Haven’t pulled it off in real life however. But then again I always had a parent around. More specifically I alsways had my real dad around.

Single parent households will end this society. No question.
Christian Sanders
on December 26, 2007 8:38 pm

This is such crap, why blame the parties responsible when you can blame a video game? Because, it is a good scape goat for idiots to take the public eye off of their own degradations! These kinds of accusations make me sick and these 2 wack-jobs should face more than 48 yrs. They should face 73 yrs to life, seeing as the average female lifespan is 80 yrs, they should be in prison all the years of their lives that this girl doesn’t get to enjoy!
SAQOIYA
on February 29, 2008 11:44 pm

MAN I MEAN THAT WAZZ MEZZED UP WHAT THEY DID TO THAT 7 YEAR OLD YOU SHOULD NOT TRUST EVERY ONE AROUND YOUR KIDS EXSPECIALLY TEENS YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN
nepsirh
on May 8, 2008 5:31 am

ok this crap lets find blame so, let’s use games no you can not blame video games for peoples action’s the person did what the did cause they are just plan insane. its a game or alcohol or even drugs fault the fault was those two teens enough said they should snetenced to maximun time allowed by law in my eyes. that was a senseless act of pure hate and evil I do not have no sympathy for either of them two. and I futher more do not care who disagrees and or who agrees this my opinion and it remains that way.
Bob
on June 12, 2008 7:14 pm

don’t blame video games they COULD have stopped but they DIDN’T stop so it’s the teenagers fault
Bob
on June 12, 2008 7:24 pm

there minds were F****D up they were idiots they killed a 7 year old in cold blood how can you blame video games F*****G IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bob
on June 12, 2008 7:26 pm

the killed a 7 year old in cold blood how can you blame video games F*****G IDIOTS?!?!?!
Mel
on June 28, 2008 2:09 am

Ya know there are not many words for such extreme stupidity.
Could you Believe the hate of the sister who could honestly do this. You have to HATE W/OUT an ounce of love in your heart, to do that to your own sister or brother. You have to be on some MAJOR DRUGS or just plain WACKED OUT.
There is no amount of justice/jail time for a sick broad like this. She should just be judged today and never pass before god other than be condemed to hell. The boyfriend should just go along the same as the sister. They need to be put away for life its all just SICK!!!!
Abbie
on November 19, 2008 3:46 pm

All I Have To Say Is SICK!
They Cant Blame It On Video Games They Are Old Enough To Know The Difference Between A Game And Real Life!
They Are Both Twisted How Any One Could Do Any Thing Like That To A Little Girl Is A Mystery To Me!
And Her Own Sister That Just Makes It Worse
They Should Have To Go Through Everything That The Little Girl Went Through!
SICK!!!!!
zae
on December 10, 2008 11:20 am

it is things like this that make me sick sham on them and sham on mortal combat
johngonole
on January 11, 2009 8:35 pm

The fact is that recent generations of kids are becoming more violent both physically and emotionally to each other. How much these video games really affect the outcome is very debateable. What is really sad is how many posters actually took time here to defend their video game habit. When you have your own kids some day and are actually an adult you will realize what a huge waste of time these games are. Challenging and entertaining yes but truly a waste of your time.

Perhaps people should try being nice to each other instead of might makes right!
Rachel
on March 13, 2009 1:43 pm

I am never inviting those guys over to play Mortal Kombat with me.

Ever
Nord
on May 25, 2009 6:57 am

What the..?

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