High court won't revive suit blaming Hollywood for school shooting

By The Associated Press

01.21.03

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court refused today to revive a lawsuit that blamed Hollywood for a school shooting in Kentucky.

The case questioned the responsibility of moviemakers and other entertainment companies for movies, video games and other products that feature violence.

The Court did not comment in rejecting an appeal filed by the families of three girls killed in 1997 at a high school near Paducah, Ky. They argued that entertainment companies were wrongly using the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech to shield themselves from lawsuits.

An appeals court ruled last year that the parents could not sue companies behind video games, a pornographic Web site and a movie studio. The content of their products are protected by the First Amendment, that court held.

The families claimed in their $33 million suit that the companies were responsible for the slayings because they exposed the 14-year-old gunman, Michael Carneal, to violent and sexual images.

Carneal used a stolen gun to shoot students in the school lobby. The three girls were killed and five others hurt.

The case is James v. Meow Media, 02-740.

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