Teen convicted of killing mother over video game

[Crim122]

Originally Posted by npr.org

A judge Monday rejected the defense that a teenage boy opened fire on his family because he was addicted to video games, convicting him of wounding his clergyman father and killing his mother after they fought over a game.

Lawyers for Daniel Petric, 17, didn't contest that the boy shot his parents in October 2007, but insisted his youth and video game addiction made him less responsible.

Common Pleas Judge James Burge disagreed and pointed to evidence the boy plotted the crime for weeks.

Petric was convicted of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and other charges. He faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison without parole. The judge didn't set a sentencing date.

Prosecutors said Petric planned to kill his parents because he was angry that his father would not allow him to play the video game "Halo 3," in which players shoot alien monsters that have taken over the Earth.

During the trial, deputy prosecuting attorney Anthony Cillo described Petric as a cold, calculating killer who plotted to murder his parents, Mark and Susan Petric, and make it appear to be a murder-suicide by putting the gun in his father's hand.

Defense Attorney James Kersey has said that Petric was obsessed with the "Halo" series of video games, which he played 18 hours a day when he had the chance. Petric used his father's key to open a lockbox and remove a 9 mm handgun and the game.

Mark Petric, who is a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, testified that his son came into the room and asked: "Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you."

The father testified that he expected a pleasant surprise. Then his head went numb from a gunshot and he survived. His wife, Susan, 43, died of gunshot wound to the head.

Kersey said during the trial that when the teenager fled the grisly scene, he only took one item with him: the "Halo 3" game.

****ed up

[jkwest]

Originally Posted by Crim122

****ed up

.

[Crim122]

Originally Posted by jkwest

dude...this kid has some serious issues, I'm glad he will be behind bars for most, if not all, of his life....this has nothing to do with the game...poor comment on your part..

I know, lol the first game wasnt bad.

But I cant imagine being the dad, that has to be really rough to live with, I feel so bad for the guy

[mikejet]

Originally Posted by Crim122

****ed up, another reason kids should not play this shitty video game.

-5 experience points.

[STARSCREAM]

Ridiculous. Kid has issues plain and simple. I hate it when games are blamed or music. Plenty of people I grew up with including myself and my brother all played Mortal Kombat, Wolfenstein, etc.. and nobody went around killing people.

[Crim122]

Ok I edited it since the joke was distasteful.

[CanadianKrazyMods]

You even see the kid, he looks like Kane from WWE, no way he just turned bad from games. I remember reading this months ago. HE is a sick little pup that is for sure.

[Teabaggins]

his dad was a clergyman...interesting

[zor]

Originally Posted by STARSCREAM

Ridiculous. Kid has issues plain and simple. I hate it when games are blamed or music. Plenty of people I grew up with including myself and my brother all played Mortal Kombat, Wolfenstein, etc.. and nobody went around killing people.

I think stuff like games can be blamed for very young people who might mimic things. So having a 4 year old play halo and then giving him a real shot gun to play around with would be a bad idea. But that's a parenting problem, not a problem with the game or shot gun.

[dk3dknight]

Hang him upside down and set him on fire...

[opterasis]

I'm glad the "video games made me do it" b.s. excuse is finally started to get rejected. Jack Thompson would have a field day with this, you know, if he wasn't a disbarred, washed up has-been.

[Crim122]

I dont even think Halo is even tha violent of a video game, yeah you are shooting shit all the time...but they bleed jello

[My_Two_Cents]

Just waiting for all of the anti-gun nuts to chime-in with their usual horse $#!t.

This kid had serious emotional problems. I know this sounds harsh, but it was a good thing he only wanted to take his frustrations out on his folks. He could just as easily been pissed at school mates, and gone on a rampage there. When people are this messed-up, it's only a matter of time before they snap if they don't get the help they need. If there is any blame, it should be directed at the parents for either not seeing or seeing and choosing to ignore their son's serious emotional problems.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by dk3dknight

Hang him upside down and set him on fire...

or stick him in the face with a plasma grenade!

Sorry. That was in bad taste.

[dk3dknight]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

or stick him in the face with a plasma grenade!

Sorry. That was in bad taste.

I originally going to say hang him by his ... well anyway it drove into extremely bad taste.

[zor]

Originally Posted by Ricshoe

Just waiting for all of the anti-gun nuts to chime-in with their usual horse $#!t.

This kid had serious emotional problems. I know this sounds harsh, but it was a good thing he only wanted to take his frustrations out on his folks. He could just as easily been pissed at school mates, and gone on a rampage there. When people are this messed-up, it's only a matter of time before they snap if they don't get the help they need. If there is any blame, it should be directed at the parents for either not seeing or seeing and choosing to ignore their son's serious emotional problems.

I think guns can work in society, but that doesn't mean we are all better off with them. 2nd amendment was to protect against tyranny from the federal govt. We don't need to worry about that anymore so restricting guns to the kinds needed for recreation, self-defense or private security firms might be worth exploring as an idea. We'd need to amend the constitution to do that though.

And if it turns out citizens need bigger guns for self defense b/c gangs get a hold of big guns on the black market, then well those bigger guns would be legitmately needed for self-defense and so would be allowed. So this is a flexible approach.

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by zor

I think guns can work in society, but that doesn't mean we are all better off with them. 2nd amendment was to protect against tyranny from the federal govt. We don't need to worry about that anymore so restricting guns to the kinds needed for recreation, self-defense or private security firms might be worth exploring as an idea. We'd need to amend the constitution to do that though.

And if it turns out citizens need bigger guns for self defense b/c gangs get a hold of big guns on the black market, then well those bigger guns would be legitmately needed for self-defense and so would be allowed. So this is a flexible approach.

That's a real dangerous mindset to be in. What's the first thing a tyranical government does? It disarms it's population. Once that happens, you can kiss your remaining freedoms goodbye, one-by-one. The 2nd Amendment was added to the Constitution to prevent this from happening....ever, not just until some 'believed' it wasn't needed anymore.

[quexos]

Originally Posted by Teabaggins

his dad was a clergyman...interesting

Think I know where you're getting at ...
and I agree, interesting. But would that make the boy a killer ?

[scweb13]

I'm glad the judge rejected the defense. I'm sick and tired of people blamming everything but themselves for their own actions.

It's sad that one parent had to die, but I think if they would have done a better job raising the kid, it wouldn't have happened. Seriously, who lets their kid play games for 18 hours a day?

[My_Two_Cents]

Originally Posted by scweb13

I'm glad the judge rejected the defense. I'm sick and tired of people blamming everything but themselves for their own actions.

As am I, but unfortunately, that's the society we live in today. No one takes responsibility for their own actions anymore. It's always someone else's fault, never one's own. This "victim" mentality is driving this country down the tubes. Want a reason why healthcare costs have skyrocketed? Look no further than the 'victims' suing doctors/nurses/hospitals/drug companies at the drop of a hat....and being awarded huge judgements by the morons they allow to sit on juries. Sorry, your comment struck a nerve. Time to get back to work.