Holy snikes! Talk about overreacting! By trying - keyword trying - to protect children (ie blaming everyone but the parents who should be guiding what these children play) NY is set to put in play legisltation that could end up causing people to go to jail...for life! Yeah, because a lifetime behind bars sounds like a proper sentence for selling a copy of an M-rated game to someone underage.

From the article:

Mark Methenitis, attorney and pen behind the Law of the Game blog, weighs in on the New York legislation about which GamePolitics has been reporting this week. The IGDA member raises a scary scenario which, admittedly, pertains to a very few potential victims.

Methenitis’ concern addresses New York’s 3 Strikes Rule - three felony convictions can send a person to jail for life. Well guess what? The proposed New York law makes selling violent games to minors a class E felony. 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 also points out that providing alcohol or cigarettes to a minor is generally only a misdemeanor usually resulting in a fine. And selling a DVD copy of violent films like Saw or Hostel to children? No fine whatsoever.

Read the full article over at gamepolitics.com