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Jack Thompson Facing Disbarment Trial

Posted by Zonk on from the facing-the-music dept.

pwizard2 writes "Gamepolitics reports that controversial Miami attorney Jack Thompson faces the start of an ethics trial this morning, a process which could ultimately see him disbarred. The review board has set aside the entire week to hear details on the case. 'Over the weekend, Thompson turned to the Florida Supreme Court in an apparent effort to block this morning's trial from moving forward. In one court filing Thompson asserted that he was willing to accept a 90-day suspension of his license to practice law. The embattled attorney claimed that such an offer had been on the table, but that the Florida Bar was now seeking his permanent disbarment.'"

9 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. WHY?! by Bromskloss · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How can you post this without mentioning why they want him barred?

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    1. Re:WHY?! by mqduck · · Score: 1, Interesting

      According to the complaint, Thompson accused attorney Cardenas of "distribution of pornography to children," claimed that the Alabama judge presiding over the Devin Moore case "breaks the rules, even the Alabama State Bar Rules, because he thinks that the rules don't apply to him," and sent a letter to Blank Rome's managing partner, saying, "Your law firm has actively and knowingly facilitated by various means the criminal distribution of sexual material to minors." Thompson claims that the complaints violate state religious protections because his advocacy is motivated by his Christian faith. I hate Thompson as much as anybody, and he may well deserve to be disbarred, but I don't think it's fair to do so for the reasons stated. He didn't invent claims out of nothing, he made interpretations of real things that were quite, uh, inflammatory. His reasoning was ridiculous, but not patently absurd. There's a logic to them that can't be categorically called false.
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  2. Re:Cry me a river by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This is bad for all of us.

    Jack Thompson is a "good thing" and if he gets disbarred he might be replaced by someone more intelligent to fight the cause he is fighting.

    Someone is going to make a buck off denouncing the horrors of entertainment, and so far that person has been Jack Thompson. Jack Thompson is so inept and insane that he has made no impact at all. With him gone someone else might take up the fight, someone who knows what they are doing and that could be bad.

  3. Re:The 90 days was HIS idea, not theirs by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I think he will go down on this. Offcourse that won't stop him, just because he is no longer a lawyer doesn't mean he can't speak up. It means he can no longer speak from a position of *authority.
    I imagine this will make him much less popular on the talk show circuit.

    * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_authority#Examples_of_appeals_to_authority
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  4. Re:Save Jack! by poena.dare · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Exactly!

    Good grief, nobody wants someone that crazy to be a good litigator!

    Suffer the Pucks for they displace the Torquemadas.

    Well almost...

  5. Re:Can't wait by sm62704 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Pat Robertson has converted far more Christians to athiesm than atheists to Christianity.

    My sins have been paid for and are forgiven. In return I must forgive others who harm me. Seems a fair enough deal to me, since I'm imperfect. If I was a banker or a lwayer or a $5000 suit-wearing preacher I might have cause to worry.

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    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  6. Re:Why is he being disbarred? Because... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No, you're misunderstanding the situation entirely. Thompson is in disbarment proceedings because of complaints made by other lawyers *and* judges because of his actions in court. It has little to do with the basis for his cases, and everything to do with the way he is pursuing them.

    It is kind of like saying that the inmates that run the prison are trying to decide if Jack needs to be locked in a cell because of his consistently bad behaviour.

    This is definitely one of those "You know it's bad when..." moments.

  7. Motivated by his Christian faith? by cpu_fusion · · Score: 2, Interesting

    > "Thompson claims that the complaints violate state religious protections because his advocacy is motivated by his Christian faith."

    I wonder which part of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" or "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" he doesn't understand.

    Funny how nearly all of our public figures who espouse Christianity (including the guy in the White House) conveniently forget these teachings.

    Well, Christ is said to have gone willingly to the cross. I wonder if Jack will follow that example? It looks like he's trying to cut a deal with those he perceives as his Pilate.

    I hope he gets a reprieve and rethinks his tactics to achieve what is arguably a reasonable goal (decreasing the exposure of children to violent games.)

    Sorry to bring up religious philosophy in a tech discussion board, ;-)

  8. Re:Cry me a river by The+Evil+Couch · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Unlike rendition to Guantanamo, eh?

    Guantanamo, a.k.a. Godwin v2.0.

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