The Jenny Jones Show Murder

The Jenny Jones Show Murder

On March 6, 1995, The Jenny Jones Show taped an episode titled "Revealing Same Sex Secret Crush," in which Scott Amedure revealed he had a crush on acquaintance Jonathan Schmitz, a twist Schmitz didn't know ahead of time. Three days later, a humiliated Schmitz drove to Amedure's home and shot him twice in the chest, killing him. At trial, Schmitz invoked the "gay panic" defense, claiming the on-air surprise and public embarrassment drove him to violence. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder, and the incident spurred debates about ambush TV and responsibility in sensational talk shows.

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