Hey Spooky Squad! Welcome back to another episode of Scream and Sugar, your true crime coffee hour. Today, we’re stepping into the courtroom for one of the most controversial and emotionally charged cases at the intersection of music, morality, and the law—the Judas Priest suicide trial.

In the mid-1980s, two young men attempted suicide after listening to heavy metal music, leaving one dead and the other permanently injured. Their families would later take the band Judas Priest to court, alleging that hidden subliminal messages in the music pushed the teens toward self-destruction. What followed was a landmark trial that forced society to confront fear, censorship, and the power we assign to art.

Can music be held responsible for violence and suicide—or was this a case of grief searching for answers? In this episode, we break down the trial, the science behind subliminal messaging, and how this case helped define artistic freedom in America.

Grab your coffee and your curiosity, and remember to stay spooky, y’all!

Case Notes:
Rising for People Coffee:
https://risingforpeoplecoffeeco.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopWrZbsnHq6KQ_GUf4HAkNbjdMcm4BrKuACy8DpPUoMlWpjZNeu

http://www.thestacksreader.com/the-dreamer-deceiver-the-reno-trial-of-judas-priest/
https://english.elpais.com/culture/2025-12-14/when-judas-priest-were-accused-of-inducing-two-fans-to-kill-themselves-a-chronicle-of-the-most-infamous-trial-in-music-history.html

https://thewind.org/episodes/judaspriestontrial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGeNjfRWzXI&rco=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHOFI5UNNck

https://www.hulu.com/watch/f2c6e1ed-0f73-431f-af00-8803b5b73ded

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/judas-priest-better-by-you-better-than-me-lawsuit/

https://blabbermouth.net/news/how-judas-priest-debunked-existence-of-hidden-messages-in-its-songs

https://everyrecordtellsastory.com/2012/05/27/judas-priest-dream-deceivers/

Halford quote: https://www.loudersound.com/features/how-a-suicide-pact-was-almost-the-end-of-judas-priest

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This content is not appropriate for all listeners; listener discretion is advised.  PS. Let's just umbrella all our content with a blanket statement: allegedly, supposedly! Stay spooky, squad.