Expert sees link in slayings, video games

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Former lawyer Jack Thompson, who's studied other accused teenage shooters, says video games clearly played a part in last weekend's Griego family murders .

The video-game industry should be held accountable, he added, although a court has shot down a lawsuit involving Thompson in another New Mexico murder aimed at a game producer.

"In this instance, (Nehemiah) Griego shot his victims in the head, which is unusual shooting behavior," Thompson told KRQE News 13.  "You learn that from "Grand Theft Auto," which give you extra points for shooting people in the head."

Investigators say Griego, 15, talked about playing "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" and "Grand Theft Auto."

Griego is being held in the shooting deaths Saturday of his father, mother, younger brother and two younger sisters.

Thompson compares the Griego shootings to Cody Posey , convicted at 14 of killing his father, stepmother and stepsister on their ranch near Hondo east of Roswell.

Posey also played "Grand Theft Auto."

Thompson worked with local attorney Steven Sanders in 2006 to sue video game maker Sony blaming the company for the Posey murders.

A judge dismissed the lawsuit.

"From a civil aspect, I don't think anything can be done because it was a Supreme Court action in U.S. that ruled they were protected by the First Amendment," Sanders said.

Relatives of Nehemiah Griego say there's no evidence violent video games caused the boy to shoot his family.