SERIES KILLERS

When an Ohio five-year-old was found to have committed arson last week, his mother blamed Beavis and Butt-head, not the first product of pop culture to be accused of inspiring specific acts of violence:

Murder in the Heartland, TV movie ... shooting death in Canada, May 1993

MacGyver, TV series ... fatal homemade bomb in France, 1992

Stained Class, heavy-metal album by Judas Priest ... shotgun suicide/maiming in Reno, Nevada, 1985

Taxi Driver, movie ... John Hinckley's attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, 1981

The Deer Hunter, movie (after its airing on TV) ... deadly games of Russian roulette, 1981

Kojak, TV series ... fatal shooting and robbery of elderly neighbor, 1977

Born Innocent, TV movie ... rape of a nine-year-old girl, 1974

Helter Skelter, song ... Manson murders, 1969