Woman watches PASSION and dies

By Anthony Harwood
Mirror.Co.UK
February 26, 2004


To: "46list" [new46@yahoogroups.com]
From: "King Solomon" [kingsolnew@yahoo.com]
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 05:44:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [new46] Woman watches PASSION and dies

Howard Stern reports [while he is still on the air before the enemies of freedom get him]:

A woman died of an apparent heart attack while watching the PASSION yesterday. She had no negative medical history.

Apparently the intense violence had a fatal affect on her.


Report: Woman dies watching 'Passion'
Thursday, February 26, 2004 Posted: 10:55 AM EST (1555 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- A woman died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday while watching the climactic crucifixion scene in "The Passion of the Christ" at a morning showing in Wichita, Kansas, a television station reported.

The film was stopped and a nurse in attendance went to the woman's side, KAKE-TV in Wichita reported.

"It was the highest emotional part of the movie," a spokeswoman for the station said. A crew from the station was at the special showing, which was sponsored by the ClearChannel Radio chain.

The Wichita Eagle newspaper, on its Web site, identified the woman as Peggy Scott, 56, a sales manager for two local radio stations.

Employees at KAKE-TV said they knew the woman as Peggy Law, adding they did not think she had any pre-existing health problems.

The woman was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, where a spokesman would only say she had been attending a movie. The county coroner's office said an autopsy would be performed.

Mel Gibson's film, which opened Wednesday, has been both criticized and praised for its violent, bloody portrayal of Christ's final hours.

Copyright 2004 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


Mirror.Co.UK
Feb 26, 2004
DEATH AT MEL FILM SCREENING
By Anthony Harwood

A WOMAN died of a heart attack as she watched the crucifixion in Mel Gibson's controversial new movie The Passion of the Christ.

Advertising sales manager Peggy Scott, 56, collapsed during the graphic 25-minute scene, which shows Jesus, played by Jim Caveziel, being nailed to the cross.

She died before she reached hospital.

She had been watching a 9.30am screening after buying a promotional ticket in Wichita, Kansas.

TV reporter Ashleigh Murray said: "She had a seizure during the crucifixion scene, which is very graphic. She was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead.

"I do not know if she had deep religious convictions, but she must have felt something to have been at the theatre at 9.30am to watch this movie."

Gibson's film opened in 2,800 cinemas across America yesterday.

Jewish groups have condemned it as anti-Semitic. Gibson refused to comment on the death.


Return To The Passion Essays Index

Return To The Essay Index

Return To The Literary Index

Return To The Site Index Page

Email Shlomoh