American video game champion Billy Mitchell has testified he “regrets” joking about rumours concerning the death of a young man now central to his lawsuit against a Brisbane YouTuber.
Mitchell, 59, gave evidence in Brisbane District Court today for the second day of his defamation trial against YouTube creator Karl Jobst.
Mitchell rose to fame in the 1980s and ’90s through recognition of high scores in the arcade games Donkey Kong and Pac-Man.
READ MORE: Manhunt under way after worker stabbed with kitchen knife
The Florida resident claimed his reputation was damaged and he lost out on $US65,000 in paid work as a result of a video Jobst posted on May 26, 2021.
Yesterday Mitchell gave evidence that he was physically sick when viewing Jobst’s video, which he said implied he “hounded a young man to commit suicide” by suing Ben Smith, another YouTuber.
Under cross-examination yesteday, Mitchell was asked about text messages he sent about Smith, known online as Apollo Legend, in response to social media rumours about his death.
“My wife found two different places online (that) Apollo Legend is dead. If it’s true I will not shed a tear. I will try not to smile or giggle. No promises,” Mitchell said in a text message.
The message was sent three years before Smith took his own life in December 2020, several months after settling a defamation lawsuit over claims Mitchell had cheated to obtain high scores.
Jobst’s barrister Michael de Waard asked Mitchell if the text messages undermined his claim to have been saddened by the news of Smith’s death and made ill by being accused of contributing to it.
Mitchell said his messages were “dark humour” made when he did not believe Smith had died as the news came from anonymous social media users.
“I regret doing it. I wish I didn’t do it as three years later … it came true,” he said.
Mitchell has testified he returned to the public eye after 2007 largely due to his role in the documentary film King of Kong.
Multiple internet forum users and YouTube creators would later allege Mitchell had cheated in high-score competitions by not playing on original arcade machines.
Mitchell said today he had sued people and video game high score adjudicators for defamation over claiming he “lied and cheated to get my scores”.
He denied he had a pre-existing negative reputation and people expected him to sue those who claimed he cheated.
Mitchell at times appeared angry while on the stand and said he was expected to “just answer a question and shut up” when he wanted to say more.
De Waard asked Mitchell if his own YouTube channel contained the only video remaining online accusing him of causing Smith’s death.
Mitchell said Jobst’s original video was seen by more than 500,000 people and the version with the claims edited out continued to prompt discussion about Smith’s death.
The trial continues before Judge Ken Barlow.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.
links to content on ABC
9News
