New York Law Could Mean Life Sentence for Retailers
By Shawn on Friday, June 1st, 2007 at 12:24 PM PST In Game Related Laws, Gamer Life
Attorney Mark Methenitis, author of The Law of the Game blog, has more food for thought on the New York Legislation Gaming Today has been covering this week.
Methenitis spins a what if scenario that should leave NY retailers quaking in their boots. It concerns NY’s “3 Strikes” rule; three strikes and your in… jail that is, possibly for life.
Methenitis writes, “While the law does give some leeway for the sentencing court, it theoretically allows a judge to put someone away for life for selling a copy of, say, Gears of War to a 16 year old who looks 18. Yes, selling a game could come with a life sentence under the new law.”
Methenitis states that making the sale of violent video games to minors a class E felony is “lunacy”. He points out that selling drugs or alcohol to minors in most states is merely a misdemeanor resulting in a fine. There is no penalty for selling violent movies like Saw or Hostel at all. In comparison it seems the New York Law is like swatting a fly with a Cadillac.
