The show must go on

2003-09-30 13:33

Florida - A rock group said on Monday it will go ahead with an onstage suicide during a concert in Florida this weekend, in defiance of a new city law designed to scuttle the plan.

The hard-rock band Hell on Earth has said a suicide by a terminally ill person would take place during a concert on Saturday in the city of St Petersburg to raise awareness of right-to-die issues.

Earlier on Monday, the city council unanimously approved an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.

"While I still think it's a publicity stunt, we still couldn't sit idly by and let somebody lose their life," council member Bill Foster said.

Circuit Judge John C Lenderman of St Petersburg granted the city a temporary injunction against the band on Monday, preventing them from advertising the show and allowing the suicide. The judge scheduled a hearing in the case on Thursday.

But band leader Billy Tourtelot was defiant.

"The show will go on," he said.

Tourtelot, 33, said the concert will be played before a "a select few people" at an undisclosed location in St Petersburg and will be shown live on the band's website. He wouldn't disclose any details about the terminally ill person or say how the person planned to kill himself.

The Tampa-based band, known for such outrageous onstage stunts as chocolate syrup wrestling and grinding up live rats in a blender, created the furore by announcing the suicide would happen on Saturday at the State Theatre in downtown St Petersburg.

Venues turn away band

But the theatre's owner, David Hundley, promptly cancelled the band's show, and another venue also turned away the event.

Tourtelot said the band was aiming to raise awareness that physician-assisted suicide should be legalised in Florida.

"If you can die for your country, why can't you die for yourself?" he asked.

Tourtelot said he is not worried about any legal ramifications. Violating the city ordinance is punishable with up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. A Florida law already makes it manslaughter - a second-degree felony - to assist in a suicide, although Tourtelot insists the band will not be assisting.

"This person will be doing this self-deliverance totally by themselves, on their own accord," he said.

St Petersburg police were still trying to decide how to respond, spokesperson George Kajtsa said on Monday.

Hell on Earth, a five-man outfit formed in 1996, is playing clubs in support of its new CD, "All Things Disturbingly Sassy," its second produced on an independent label.

Tourtelot said that while some of the band's past stunts have been done for shock or entertainment value, symbolism and self-expression was always at the root.

"It is art," the St Petersburg native said. "These are things I choose to do to make people think and to get out some of my own thoughts."

- AP