DEAD GIRL'S PARENTS SUE SLAYER

Metal behemoths SLAYER are being sued by the family of a girl murdered by three teenagers who subsequently committed necrophilia on the body incited in part, it is claimed, by the band's lyrics.

The body of 15-years-old Elyse Pahler was found close to her home near San Luis Obispo, California in March 1996. She had been lured to her death there eight months earlier by Jacob Delashmutt, Joseph Fiorella and Royce Casey. They choked and stabbed her to death, returning later to have sex with her corpse.

The three were avid Slayer fans who believed they needed to commit a "sacrifice to the devil" in order to give their then band Hatred, the "craziness" to "go professional".

According to today's (January 23) Guardian newspaper, the find was only made when Casey confessed to a local clergyman. Another, Firoella, told police they frequently stayed up all night listening to Slayer and taking drugs.

The Pahlers are claiming that Slayer and its record company, American Recordings, an imprint of Sony, bear some responsibility for the girl's death. They claim that the band and the company violated a Californian business code which prohibits the marketing and distribution to minors of "harmful" and "obscene" material.

According to fansite www.slayerized.com, the family claims songs like 'Postmortem' and 'Dead Skin Mask' gave the boys step-by-step instructions to "stalk, rape, torture, murder and commit acts of necrophilia" on their daughter.

Slayer and their record company claim they are protected under the first amendment.

The teenagers pleaded guilty to murder at their trial, and are currently serving sentences of 25 years to life.

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