Can a video game constitute a public nuisance in the same way that a brothel or a rowdy bar might? Miami attorney Jack Thompson, the self-described "anti-game crusader" thinks so, and has petitioned a Florida court to block sales of Rockstar's upcoming Bully on that basis.

In a document filed with the court, Thompson argues that Bully "will be used by school-age children to rehearse varying levels of retributive violence in their schools, and that there will be a heightened likelihood that such retributive violence will occur in the Miami-Dade schools as a result...Plaintiff has, in writing, asked the defendants not to sell Bully...The defendants refuse to respond to this plea. Once the game Bully is released to the public, 'the horse will be out of the barn' and it will be too late to close the door...Sales...of Bully will constitute a public nuisance, because the sale of this game will..."tend to annoy the community or injure the health of the community, or become manifestly injurious to the morals or manners of the people."

The "defendants" mentioned in Thompson's brief include retailers Target, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, GameStop, Circuit City and Toys'R'Us. GamePolitics e-mailed Thompson requesting additional information. The attorney indicated that the petition was filed with the 11th Circuit Court (Miami-Dade County) this morning, but declined further comment.