Posted: Tuesday, 17 July 2012 4:43AM

Sylvester Stallone asks that son's memory to be 'left in peace'



LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Film star Sylvester Stallone pleaded on Monday for the public to leave his son's "memory and soul" in peace amid a tabloid media frenzy over the aspiring actor and filmmaker's death at age 36.

Sage Stallone was found dead on Friday in his home in Hollywood. Los Angeles County Coroner's examiners conducted an autopsy on Sunday but say the results and a cause of death would not be released for weeks pending toxicology and other tests.

"When a parent loses a child, there is no greater pain," Sylvester Stallone said in a statement released through his publicist. "Therefore I am imploring people to respect my talented son's memory and feel compassion for his loving mother, Sasha."

Sage Stallone is the son of the 66-year-old action film star and his first wife, Sasha Czack. The couple divorced in 1985 after about 10 years of marriage.

"Sage was our first child and the center of our universe and I am humbly begging for all to have my son's memory and soul left in peace," the elder Stallone said in the statement.

Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman said Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officials had placed a security hold on the case, barring release of further information.

An LAPD spokesman said detectives from the department's Robbery-Homicide division were involved in the case, a standard practice in high profile deaths, but that there was no indication of foul play.

"There was no evidence of forced entry or trauma to his body," Lieutenant Andy Neiman said. "At this point, it's a coroner's case but Robbery-Homicide maintains jurisdiction should something change as a result of the coroner's findings."

Sage Stallone appeared in a number of films, most notably with his father in 1990's "Rocky V," playing the title character's son, Rocky Balboa Jr.

He was also cast alongside his father in the 1996 disaster movie "Daylight," in which Sylvester Stallone starred as a hero leading an escape from a New York tunnel collapse. His son portrayed a prison inmate.

Story & Photos Copyright 2012 Reuters

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