Judge Revokes Thompson’s Alabama License

Controversial Florida lawyer Jack Thompson has been denied the chance to withdraw from his current high profile law suit in Alabama against video game companies Sony and Take-Two and retailer Wal-Mart, which centers around the allegation that killer Devin Moore's playing of Grand Theft Auto III and sequels contributed to the murders of police officers. Instead, the judge on the case has revoked Thompson’s temporary privilege to practice law in the state. Judge Moore ordered the circuit clerk to notify the state bar association that the privilege had been revoked. He then ordered Thompson to attach his order to any further applications for pro hac vice (the legal term for the temporary privilege) in Alabama. As a final act, the judge indicated that Thompson would be held in contempt of court if he attempted to communicate with the court or the judge. Quoted by the Tuscaloosa News, and referring to law firm Blank Rome, which represents some of the defendants in the case, Thompson commented: "This was a spiteful judicial act to ultimately reward guerrilla tactics by a law firm that has a very long history of doing to others what they did to me. I withdrew because I knew what was coming. He wasn’t satisfied with that. He had to stick it in and twist it." Thompson had previously removed himself from the case, after the defendant team of attorneys introduced a motion to have him forcibly removed, citing a number of inflammatory press releases from Thompson. Thompson now plans to file a complaint with the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission against Judge Moore. Judge Moore said Thompson has the right to appeal his decision. "Mr. Thompson’s actions before this court suggest that he is unable to conduct himself in a manner befitting practice in this state," Moore wrote, in an order filed on Thursday. Thompson’s initial response to this was: "This is My Cousin Vinny, only with a malevolent twist."