September 17th 2024.
During his second day of testimony in his defamation trial against YouTube creator Karl Jobst, American video game champion Billy Mitchell expressed regret for making jokes about rumors surrounding the death of a young man who is now a central figure in his lawsuit. Mitchell, who rose to fame in the 1980s and '90s for his high scores in arcade games like Donkey Kong and Pac-Man, claimed that his reputation was damaged and he lost out on paid work due to a video posted by Jobst on May 26, 2021.
Yesterday, Mitchell testified that he was physically sick upon viewing Jobst's video, which he believed implied that he had contributed to the suicide of another YouTuber, Ben Smith, by suing him. Under cross-examination, Mitchell was asked about text messages he had sent about Smith in response to social media rumors about his death. In one message, Mitchell wrote, "My wife found two different places online where Apollo Legend is dead. If it's true, I will not shed a tear. I will try not to smile or giggle. No promises." This message was sent three years before Smith's death in December 2020, after he had settled a defamation lawsuit against Mitchell regarding cheating allegations.
When asked about these messages, Mitchell explained that they were meant to be "dark humor" and were sent when he did not believe the rumors about Smith's death. However, he expressed regret for sending them and acknowledged that they had come true three years later. Mitchell also testified that he returned to the public eye after 2007, mostly due to his involvement in the documentary film King of Kong. However, multiple internet forum users and YouTube creators later accused him of cheating in high-score competitions by not playing on original arcade machines.
Today, Mitchell revealed that he had also sued individuals and video game high score adjudicators for defamation over claims that he had "lied and cheated to get my scores." He denied having a pre-existing negative reputation and stated that it was expected for him to take legal action against those who accused him of cheating. Mitchell also appeared angry at times while on the stand, stating that he was expected to "just answer a question and shut up" when he wanted to say more.
During cross-examination, Jobst's barrister Michael de Waard asked Mitchell if his own YouTube channel was the only remaining platform that accused him of causing Smith's death. Mitchell replied that Jobst's original video had been viewed by over 500,000 people and that the version with the accusations edited out continued to spark discussions about Smith's death. The trial will continue before Judge Ken Barlow.
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