Attorneys for Rockstar Games have opted to move a case brought against them by Haitian civil rights groups to federal court. The suit, which was originally filed December 23rd in state circuit court in Palm Beach County, Florida, asks for more than $15,000 in damages and requests that the game be taken off store shelves. A hearing date has not yet been determined.

By now, surely you've all heard about the controversy surrounding Grand Theft Auto: Vice City's portrayal of Haitians. Activists and advocates had protested in front of New York's city hall because of certain lines of dialogue such as "kill the Haitians."

Since that time, even though Rockstar Games agreed to remove the objectionable statement from future copies of the game, Haitian civil rights groups filed the abovementioned lawsuit. The suit isn't directed at Rockstar alone. It's also aimed at Take-Two Interactive (Rockstar's parent company), Sony Computer Entertainment, Microsoft, and retailers Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy.