A West Hartford man denied charges that a violent video game drove him to violence against children.
David L. Barr, 38, pleaded innocent in White River Junction District Court to two misdemeanor counts of domestic violence, which carry a combined maximum penalty of two years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to an affidavit filed with the court, a school nurse called Hartford Police to report suspected abuse of two boys, ages 11 and 10. Police met the boys and saw a large bruise on the upper right arm of one boy and smaller bruises on the upper left arm of the other, court records state.
The boys told police they had been playing "Halo 3" with Barr - a video game in which players attempt to kill each other - and every time one of the boys killed Barr's character he would punch the boy in the arm, police said.
When interviewed by police, Barr admitted punching the boys while playing video games with them, but said he was drinking at the time and did not realize how hard he was hitting them, according to court records. Barr told police that when he saw the bruises on the boys the next day, he told them to say they had been hurt playing baseball, police said.
