Pennsylvania state Treasurer who
committed suicide on TV in 1987. He was
about to be sentenced and sent to prison. He called a press conference, read his suicide note, and blew his brains out with a .357 magnum.
It was snowing that day in Harrisburg, and lots of kids were home from school. Their cartoons were interrupted by this
breaking news, in all its graphic glory.
Seared lots of young minds, it did. And this was pre-internet, mind you, so they weren't used to seeing stuff.