Doorman
10-01-2003, 09:39 AM
Cathedral sex man dies of heart attack
A man due to appear in court today on charges of having sex with his girlfriend inside a New York cathedral as part of a radio show stunt has died.
The couple's lawyer, Maranda Fritz, said 38-year-old Brian Florence died of a heart attack in Alexandria, Virginia.
She said the funeral was yesterday and his co-defendant and girlfriend, Loretta Lynn Harper, 36, is still in a state of shock. The judge adjourned the case until November 6.
Ms Fritz said her clients had expected to plead guilty to a minor charge and not receive any jail time.
A third man involved in the case, radio producer Paul Mercurio, 43, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to seven days community service.
Authorities said a police officer was listening to the Opie and Anthony Show a year ago when he heard Mercurio say on the air that he was speaking on a mobile phone while watching the couple in St Patrick's Cathedral.
The officer arrested Florence and Harper in a vestibule a few feet from worshippers.
The stunt had been part of a regular feature in which couples could win prizes for having sex in public places.
The couple's alleged antics inside the landmark cathedral resulted in the radio station sacking DJs Greg Opie Hughes and Anthony Cumia.
A man due to appear in court today on charges of having sex with his girlfriend inside a New York cathedral as part of a radio show stunt has died.
The couple's lawyer, Maranda Fritz, said 38-year-old Brian Florence died of a heart attack in Alexandria, Virginia.
She said the funeral was yesterday and his co-defendant and girlfriend, Loretta Lynn Harper, 36, is still in a state of shock. The judge adjourned the case until November 6.
Ms Fritz said her clients had expected to plead guilty to a minor charge and not receive any jail time.
A third man involved in the case, radio producer Paul Mercurio, 43, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to seven days community service.
Authorities said a police officer was listening to the Opie and Anthony Show a year ago when he heard Mercurio say on the air that he was speaking on a mobile phone while watching the couple in St Patrick's Cathedral.
The officer arrested Florence and Harper in a vestibule a few feet from worshippers.
The stunt had been part of a regular feature in which couples could win prizes for having sex in public places.
The couple's alleged antics inside the landmark cathedral resulted in the radio station sacking DJs Greg Opie Hughes and Anthony Cumia.