Halo blamed for murder

[Razer]

But, sadly, this time it's true. Well, also that the kid is a total moron.

"Ohio Teen Killed Mom Over Video Game

(Jan. 13) - Although a teenager's obsession with a violent video game may have warped his sense of reality, the boy is guilty of murdering his mother and wounding his father after they took "Halo 3" away from him, a judge ruled Monday.

"I firmly believe that Daniel Petric had no idea at the time he hatched this plot that if he killed his parents they would be dead forever," Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Burge said.

Insanity Defense RejectedTony Dejak, AP3 photos Rejecting an insanity defense, a judge in Elyria, Ohio, ruled Monday that a 17-year-old was guilty of fatally shooting his mother and wounding his father after they took away his "Halo 3" video game. Daniel Petric, here in 2007, faces the possibility of being sentenced to life without parole.

Nonetheless, Burge rejected the defense attorneys' argument that Petric, 17, was not guilty by reason of insanity.

The defense didn't contest that Petric shot his parents in October 2007 after they took the game away from him, but insisted that the teen's youth and addiction made him less responsible.

Petric may have been addicted, but the evidence also showed he planned the crime for weeks, said Burge, who found the teenager guilty of aggravated murder, attempted aggravated murder and other charges.
Tried as an adult, Petric faces a maximum possible penalty of life in prison without parole. The judge didn't set a sentencing date.

The teen's mother, Susan Petric, 43, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Her husband, Mark Petric, a minister at New Life Assembly of God in Wellington, also was shot in the head but survived.

After the verdict was announced, Petric turned to look at his father seated behind him in the courtroom. Mark Petric, who previously said he has forgiven his son, gave an encouraging nod.

Mark Petric and other relatives left the court without comment.
Prosecutors said Petric planned to kill his parents because he was angry that his father would not allow him to play the video game, in which players shoot alien monsters that have taken over the Earth.

On the night of the shooting, Petric used his father's key to open a lockbox and remove a 9 mm handgun and the game.

Mark Petric testified that his son came into the room and asked: "Would you guys close your eyes? I have a surprise for you." He testified that he expected a pleasant surprise. Then his head went numb from the gunshot.
Deputy prosecuting attorney Anthony Cillo argued during the trial that the teenager had planned to make it appear to be a murder-suicide by putting the gun in his father's hand.

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

Bungie LLC, once part of Microsoft, developed the Xbox 360-exclusive Halo 3, and Microsoft owns the game's intellectual property. Microsoft declined to comment beyond a statement: "We are aware of the situation and it is a tragic case.""

[Shurikane]

BETRAYAAAAAAALLLL

[Aiman]

Yeah, I read about this yesterday. All I can say is that the kid looked like he had planned it. The report that I read said that the kid showed no emotion during the trial except when they showed the mother's autopsy pictures, to which the kid bowed his head and looked at his hands for 20 minutes.

I guess at that point he felt guilty.

Funny how they tried to blame it on video game addiction. Apparently they said that he had suffered a snowboarding accident on which he had gotten some kind of infection which made him stay home to play video games and watch tv for hours on end because he couldn't get hurt or he could've been paralyzed.

I really don't know anymore. The kid looked like he really planned the whole thing. I guess growing up in a house where filled with religion makes you insane.

I feel no pity for him. He got what he deserved. He killed someone, now pay for it.

And for the record, I grew up playing all kinds of video games and you don't see me running around with a gun killing people.

[Akuko]

I agree with Aiman. This kid was disturbed before he started playing video games. This is just like Ozzy Osbourne getting blamed for a kid committing suicide because "the music told him to."

Just pointing fingers and avoiding the real blame which is the parents and, of course, the "kid." Although I wouldn't trust my child at 17 to shut my eyes and wait for a "surprise" but that's just me.