Posted on 10/01/2003 6:51:25 PM PDT by COURAGE
He dies before court date in St. Pat's sexcapade By HELEN PETERSON DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Wednesday, October 1st, 2003
A man who was expected to plead guilty yesterday to having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral will have to answer to a higher authority. Brian Florence, 38, died of a heart attack Thursday in Alexandria, Va., his lawyer announced yesterday in court - surprising the judge and prosecutors.
The news forced Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Barbara Jaffe to adjourn the case against Florence and girlfriend Loretta Harper, 36. The two were arrested inside the cathedral after being caught in the act as part of a radio show stunt.
"We're told that it was heart failure. It was very sudden. The family is still in a state of shock," defense lawyer Maranda Fritz said outside the courtroom. She said Florence was buried Monday.
The couple had been expected to plead guilty to disorderly conduct.
Earlier yesterday, a third man involved in the sexcapade, radio producer Paul Mercurio, 43, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and got seven days of community service.
The sex act by Harper and Florence inside St. Patrick's outraged the city and led to the firing of WNEW shock jocks Opie and Anthony, otherwise known as Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia, who allegedly put them up to it.
The couple was discovered by an usher who thought Florence was urinating, until he approached him and saw Harper naked from the waist down. The scene was visible to about 20 worshipers and tourists.
Mercurio admitted providing the live on-air commentary describing their actions and offered a mea culpa.
"Since the show, I realized how inappropriate these actions were. I have apologized personally to monsignors at St. Patrick's Cathedral and apologize publicly now for the disrespect we showed the church, its parishioners and the people of the City of New York," he said.
One is wise to fear the LORD.
I wonder if anyone will have sex at his wake and mass?
So why does the Lord take the trouble to zot this guy for a minor offense, while allowing tyrants, murderers, rapists. stock swindlers, and other miscreants and psychopaths to run loose and live well to ripe old ages?
No, but if you think that is why this man died, a lot of people are going to be asking where God was while all those young men were being molested. If your theory is right, there should be dead priests all over the place.
Hank
Bull,think a slug that would have sex in a church would hesitate to bail on the trial.
And already buried,have fun a$$hole.
One is wise to fear the LORD.
1. Because "it is APPOINTED unto a man once to die and after that comes the judgment." Hebrews 9:27
2. Because God is sovereign; He does WHAT, He wants, WHEN He wants, WHERE He wantts, with WHOM He wants
If the Lord would kill someone for having sex in a church, while doing nothing about those who commit true evil, then the Lord has a truly disordered set of priorities.
I'm with you. I smell a rat. Hope the lawyer goes to jail for lying if it turns out the guy is on vacation in the Bahamas.
I mean, a heart attack at 38. WOW!
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