Judge bans onstage suicide
2003-10-03 11:39
Florida - A judge on Thursday barred a rock band from holding an onstage suicide that its leader vows will occur this weekend during a performance to be broadcast over the Internet.
St Petersburg city officials had asked Circuit Court Judge John C Lenderman for the injunction after the group Hell on Earth announced plans to have a terminally ill person commit suicide during a show somewhere in the city on Saturday night. The judge had issued a temporary order on Monday blocking the performance and any advertising for it.
Hell on Earth leader Billy Tourtelot, who did not attend the hearing, had said earlier the band will defy a city law passed on Monday that makes it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.
Tourtelot said that the suicide is intended to raise awareness of right-to-die issues. He said it "a select few people" will attend the show at an undisclosed site in St Petersburg, and that it will be shown live on the band's Web site. He has declined to disclose any details about the terminally ill person.
If the band violates the order to stop publicising the concert, members could face contempt of court charges.
- AP