February 11, 2009 5:18 PM
- Text
Audio Porn Darkens Mood At Mass
The noon Ash Wednesday Mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was disrupted when three CD players duct-taped to the bottom of pews began blaring sexually explicit language.
The players were set to turn on at 12:22 p.m. as parishioners were in the middle of Mass, police Capt. Gary Johnson said.
The recordings were filled with people using foul language and "pornographic messages," Johnson said. He would not elaborate because of the ongoing investigation.
Cathedral staff members removed the CD players, took them to the basement and called police, who sent a bomb squad, Johnson said. Church officials say churchgoers were not evacuated.
The bomb squad blew up two of the players on a grassy area near the church, then kept the third one for analysis after determining the players were not dangerous.
The recordings were made on store-bought blank discs, Johnson said.
"We'll run the full gamut" of tests on the player, including checking for fingerprints or DNA and tracing its components, he said.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which marks a 40-day period of fasting before Easter. Clergy mark the foreheads of the faithful with ashes to symbolize penance during Ash Wednesday services.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The players were set to turn on at 12:22 p.m. as parishioners were in the middle of Mass, police Capt. Gary Johnson said.
The recordings were filled with people using foul language and "pornographic messages," Johnson said. He would not elaborate because of the ongoing investigation.
Cathedral staff members removed the CD players, took them to the basement and called police, who sent a bomb squad, Johnson said. Church officials say churchgoers were not evacuated.
The bomb squad blew up two of the players on a grassy area near the church, then kept the third one for analysis after determining the players were not dangerous.
The recordings were made on store-bought blank discs, Johnson said.
"We'll run the full gamut" of tests on the player, including checking for fingerprints or DNA and tracing its components, he said.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which marks a 40-day period of fasting before Easter. Clergy mark the foreheads of the faithful with ashes to symbolize penance during Ash Wednesday services.
-
David Morgan David Morgan is a senior editor at CBSNews.com and cbssundaymorning.com.
22 Comments +
Popular Now in National
- Video shows bikes riding past face-mauling attack
- Police: Seattle gunman apparently killed himself
- Face-chewing victim to have a long recovery
- Police: Seattle cafe gunman may have shot self
- Stevens: Second thoughts likely in Citizens United
- Antsy toddler won't buckle up, booted from plane
- Face-chewing victim face surgery, long recovery
- Cargo jet clips plane at O'Hare airport
- Foie gras feeding frenzy grows as Calif. ban nears
- Police look for witnesses of face-chewing attack
- Sex offenders fight for Facebook rights
- Tornado from remnants of Beryl destroys homes in NC
- Record-size N.M. wildfire just a preview?
- Shootings leave 6 dead in already jittery Seattle
- Judge chops fine for SeaWorld in trainer's death
- N.Y. man admits to pouring bleach into kids' milk
