Law Passed to Block Public Suicide
Band Wanted to Stage Right-to-Die Protest

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sept. 29) - The St. Petersburg city council passed a law Monday designed to scuttle a rock group's plans to feature an onstage suicide.

The hard-rock band Hell on Earth had said that a suicide by a terminally ill person would take place during a concert Saturday to raise awareness of right-to-die issues.


Political Leanings


"I am a strong supporter of physician-assisted suicide."
-band leader Bill Tourtelot

In response, the city council met Monday morning to unanimously approve 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.

Tampa-based Hell on Earth, known for such outrageous onstage stunts as chocolate syrup wrestling and grinding up live rats in a blender, created the furor by announcing the suicide would happen Saturday at the Palace Theater in downtown St. Petersburg.


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

Band leader Billy Tourtelot has vowed that the concert and suicide will still take place at an undisclosed location in the city, broadcast live on the band's Web site.

"This show is far more than a typical Hell On Earth performance," Tourtelot said in an e-mail last week. "This is about standing up for what you believe in, and I am a strong supporter of physician-assisted suicide."

A message left for Tourtelot was not immediately returned Monday.

A Florida law already makes assisting in a suicide manslaughter, a second-degree felony.

Hell on Earth is playing clubs in support of its independently produced album, "All Things Disturbingly Sassy."


09/29/03 15:14 EDT

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Anyway...What's your opinion on the right to terminate your own life or assisted suicide?

Jeezus!

INSATIABLE said:

althom said:

TRUE!

:BORED:

I don't even have words!

Sweeny79 said:

Sure you do. You just used some.

Another blow to Libertarians.

I believe in legalizing assisted suicide, though my first thought is to say that I would want them to legislate the hell out of it and make it extremely difficult to obtain - but I do believe that the quality of a person's life is much more important than the sanctity of their being alive.

Assisted suicide as performance art is another thing altogether. Though I suppose if that's how you wanna go you should have that opportunity, it is just a bit exploitive, isn't it?

Anxiety said:

Well put Anxiety.

this is pretty fucked up.

what is this world comming too ?

Any kind of suicide is wrong my uncle killed himself "stuck a gun in his mouth" and the pain it left in my and my entire families was something that I never will forget and I dont wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy.

Paisley said:

I'm sorry to hear that Paisley.

Chico319 said:

Thanks

Aren't we all tired of this type of publicity stunt? The band isn't doing this out of any kind of public service (I mean, how many people wanting to commit suicide have begged to do it publicly?) but out of self promotion.

Terminal illness and those supporting volutary euthanasia shouldn't be used and demeaned in this way - their cause doesn't need these idiots supporting it.

It's a sick act and I'm sick of people like this who'll do anything to gain publicity.