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Acquittal in Drunken Homicide via GTA

The Wisconsin State Journal has the news of an acquittal in a drunken homicide charge against a Madison-area 30 year old. The defendant admitted to being intoxicated before the crash that killed his passenger. The jury found him innocent after he presented his defense: the passenger caused the crash by forcing him to attempt a manuever they'd done in Grand Theft Auto. "In an emotional testimony on Thursday, DeMeo said that Alexander had put his hand on DeMeo's knee and made him push the accelerator down hard, then grabbed the emergency brake and sent the car into a skid. DeMeo said that Alexander was trying to perform a maneuver that both had done in a video game, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, that they played regularly."

3 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. One small detail by fm6 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Before everybody sneers at contorted lawyers logic, note that "GTA confusion" was not the defense of the guy on trial. His defense was that his passenger interfered with his driving. Supposedly he did so while drunkenly imitating a GTA move, but his reasons for doing what he did was not relevent, since his guilt or innocence was not at issue.

  2. Re:It's not like he knew any better. by Meagermanx · · Score: 2, Informative

    Not it at all. They weren't saying it wasn't his fault because he did the move in GTA, they were saying it was his dead friend's fault, because he took control of the car. Supposedly.

  3. If any of you guys get the urge to do this... by cluke · · Score: 2, Informative

    Give yourself a sporting chance at least.. instructions for handbrake turns.

    You might also be wise to try it on a disused airfield or something. And without a drunk passenger. And without being drunk.