▁due ▁to ▁the ▁alleg ed ▁tort ure ▁of ▁Lau wers ▁and ▁supposed ▁occ ult ▁aspects ▁of ▁the ▁murder . ▁The ▁murder ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁a ▁period ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" S atan ic ▁pan ic " ▁when ▁there ▁was ▁much ▁public ▁concern ▁over ▁the ▁effects ▁of ▁Sat an ic ▁and ▁occ ult ▁content ▁in ▁heavy ▁metal ▁music ▁and ▁in ▁role - play ing ▁games . ▁K asso ▁was ▁we aring ▁an ▁AC / DC ▁T - sh irt ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁arrest ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁fan ▁of ▁groups ▁such ▁as ▁Black ▁S abb ath , ▁Jud as ▁Pri est ▁and ▁O z zy ▁Os bourne . ▁ ▁Bi ographical ▁background ▁K asso ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁local ▁high ▁school ▁history ▁teacher ▁and ▁football ▁coach ▁at ▁aff lu ent ▁Cold ▁Spring ▁Har bor ▁High ▁School . ▁K asso ▁was ▁often ▁thrown ▁out ▁of ▁his ▁home ▁as ▁a ▁young ▁te en ▁and ▁lived ▁on ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁sub urban ▁North port , ▁New ▁York , ▁usually ▁sleep ing ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁woods , ▁or ▁in ▁the ▁cars , ▁gar ages , ▁back y ards ▁and ▁houses ▁of ▁friends . ▁He ▁often ▁took ▁dru gs , ▁mainly ▁mar iju ana , ▁hash ish , ▁L SD , ▁P CP , ▁and ▁pur ple ▁" m icro dots " ▁of ▁what ▁he ▁believed ▁to ▁be ▁mes cal ine , ▁but ▁was ▁most ▁likely ▁low - grade ▁L SD . ▁He ▁t ended ▁to ▁consume ▁all ▁of ▁his ▁dru gs , ▁but ▁had ▁on ▁occasion