d***@msn.com
2009-01-14 21:36:30 UTC
ELYRIA, Ohio – 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.
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."
Notes from me--Im sure that this is spinning a bunch of negative stuff
about the video game industry. The kid was
obviously having problems to begin with, and you can't blame a video
game for this teenager's actions. Its still quite disturbing... Halo
3 kicksass though I love playing multi-player.!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090113/ap_on_re_us/pastor_s_wife_slain
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.
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."
Notes from me--Im sure that this is spinning a bunch of negative stuff
about the video game industry. The kid was
obviously having problems to begin with, and you can't blame a video
game for this teenager's actions. Its still quite disturbing... Halo
3 kicksass though I love playing multi-player.!!!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090113/ap_on_re_us/pastor_s_wife_slain