Dustin Lynch
Encyclopedia
Dustin Lynch is a criminal from Ohio
who sparked a large controversy over the video game Grand Theft Auto III
when he committed one act of first degree murder
, killing JoLynn Mishne on November 2, 2002. Lynch was to be represented by lawyer Jack Thompson
, claiming that he was 'obsessed' with GTA III. Lynch was 15 at the time of the crime and 16 by the time his case came to trial. Thompson, who had advised the Mishne family had wanted to represent Lynch but would, according to Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman, be faced with deeply conflicting interests if he were to represent Dustin Lynch. Lynch himself eventually rejected Thompson’s offer, withdrawing his insanity plea. Lynch’s mother, Jerrilyn Thomas, who previously demanded that judge Christopher Collier appoint Thompson to defend her son, said she changed her mind after visiting with her boy in jail, saying, "It has nothing to do with video games or Paxil, and my son’s no murderer".
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
who sparked a large controversy over the video game Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto III is a 2001 open world action computer and video game developed by DMA Design in the United Kingdom, and published by Rockstar Games. It is the first 3D title in the Grand Theft Auto series. It was released in October 2001 for the PlayStation 2, May 2002 for Microsoft Windows,...
when he committed one act of first degree murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, killing JoLynn Mishne on November 2, 2002. Lynch was to be represented by lawyer Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson (attorney)
John Bruce "Jack" Thompson is an American activist and disbarred attorney, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Thompson is known for his role as an anti-video-game activist, particularly against violence and sex in video games....
, claiming that he was 'obsessed' with GTA III. Lynch was 15 at the time of the crime and 16 by the time his case came to trial. Thompson, who had advised the Mishne family had wanted to represent Lynch but would, according to Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman, be faced with deeply conflicting interests if he were to represent Dustin Lynch. Lynch himself eventually rejected Thompson’s offer, withdrawing his insanity plea. Lynch’s mother, Jerrilyn Thomas, who previously demanded that judge Christopher Collier appoint Thompson to defend her son, said she changed her mind after visiting with her boy in jail, saying, "It has nothing to do with video games or Paxil, and my son’s no murderer".