Jack Thompson Walks Out Of Discipline Hearing (Update At Bottom)

Both Kotaku and GamePolitics are reporting that video game activist, attorney and wanker Jack Thompson walked out of the hearing that he said he was not going to attend, where the judge recommended that he be barred from practicing law for ten years, claiming that the judge hearing the case was not qualified to hear his case.

From GamePolitics:

Thompson reportedly stormed out of the hearing after Tunis refused to let him read a lengthy objection aloud. Tunis, acting as referee on behalf of the Florida Supreme Court, did permit Thompson to submit a copy of his objection for the record.

Prior to that there was apparently some disagreement between Tunis and Thompson over the placement of the podium. We're told Thompson lost that argument as well.

By leaving the courtroom, Thompson missed the opportunity to argue any mitigating factors to the Bar's recommendation for harsh punishment.

A GamePolitics reader reported on what he saw in the courtroom.

Thompson wanted to make known that he had a objection in writing. He was able to submit it to the record, but the judge said he couldn't read it aloud. That really pissed him off, I think. He also passed around copies of the objection to various reporters and a member of the legal community known as "Mr. Mim". He also claimed that "Mr. Mim" was not supposed to be there. So he dropped the objection into his lap and went back to his side of the court. The judge was NOT pleased.

Eventually, he made comments about the judge not being a judge(This is relating to the Loyalty Oath stuff), said the hearing was moot, and WALKED OUT.

"The court acknowledges that Mr. Thompson has voluntarily left the proceedings"

Then the Florida Bar presented it's evidence. Lalalala, bunch of legal crap.

The Bar recommends that Thompson's punishment should be: "Enhanced disbarment, with a reapplyment wait of 10 years"

After more legalese, the court was ajorned.

Mr Mim threw away his copy of the objection. A friend of mine who happened to be attending reached to get it at the same time a State Attorney was. We ended up getting a copy of it because the State Attorney was a nice guy.

Kotaku has some detail on what was in his objection.

Before walking out of the courtroom, Thompson filed what he called "Thompson's Formal Objection to June 4 Sanctions Hearing." In the rambling, 4,500-word objection, Thompson questioned Tunis' ability to preside at his hearing, calling her incompetent and arrogant and threatening to have her removed from office "in the days and weeks ahead." He also went on to call the people run The Florida Bar fascists and denied that he was involved some sort of "petty culture war."

Thompson wrapped up his 14-page objection by quoting from the bible, and saying that he and Senators Clinton and Obama understand the dangers posed by the Grand Theft Auto games.

"I am “guilty” of being right and ahead of the curve when it came to Howard Stern and as to Grand Theft Auto. Because I took on Bar complainant, Al Cardenas, the Howard Stern Show is off terrestrial radio and his influence diminished.

Because I took on this cop-killing, woman-bashing video game, the Presidential race is now addressing the issue and this particular video game.

Try to get me disbarred. Go ahead, do your worst, Referee Tunis. I will continue to do my best. "

So, from what I gathered, after reading some of it, it's the same kind of crap he was complaining about before, along with some rambling that did not make any sense in the context of his arguments. Whoopee.

At this point, we have to remember that this is still a recommendation. The judge has to submit the recommendation to the Supreme Court by September 2 (if someone would like to do the follow-ups around that time, let me know -- I'll most likely be on maternity leave by then) before anything can be done. I'm sure in the meantime Thompson will be fighting it all the way.

Update: And the hits just keep on coming. Thompson's suit against the Florida Supreme Court has been dismissed by a federal judge on Tuesday with prejudice, and can not be brought forth before the court again. The suit alleged that Thompson was forbidden from defending himself by the court in another sanction case against him, where he allegedly included pornographic pictures with one filing and wrote another one as if it were a children's book.

Again, this is not the end -- one case against the Florida Bar was put on hold by Thompson pending the outcome of his state Bar issues. The other, against the state of Florida, is currently pending.

I said it yesterday, and I will say it again -- what a wanker.