| Scott Amedure | |
|---|---|
| Born | Scott Bernard Amedure January 26, 1963 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 9, 1995 (aged 32) Lake Orion, Michigan |
| Cause of death | Homicide |
| Nationality | American |
Scott Bernard Amedure (January 26, 1963 – March 9, 1995) was an American murder victim who was fatally shot after revealing on The Jenny Jones Show that he was attracted to an acquaintance.[1] The acquaintance, Jonathan Schmitz–who had a long-standing history of mental illness–later shot Amedure and was found guilty of second degree murder. The Amedure family sued The Jenny Jones Show for wrongful death but the judgment was subsequently overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals.
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On March 6, 1995, Amedure was taped for an episode of the The Jenny Jones Show, in which he admitted to being a secret admirer of Jonathan Schmitz, who lived near him in Lake Orion, Michigan. Until the taping, Schmitz had no idea who his secret admirer was. Schmitz stated he went on the show out of curiosity and later claimed that the producers implied that his admirer was a woman.[2][3]
According to the testimony at the murder trial, three days after the taping, Amedure left a "suggestive" note at Schmitz's house.[4] After finding the note, Schmitz withdrew money from the bank, purchased a shotgun and then went to Amedure's mobile home. There, he questioned Amedure about the note. Schmitz then returned to his car, got his gun and returned to Amedure's trailer. He then shot Amedure twice in the chest, killing him. After killing Amedure, Schmitz left the residence, called 9-1-1 and confessed to the killing.[5]
Schmitz was found guilty of second degree murder in 1996 and sentenced to 25–50 years in prison, but his conviction was overturned on appeal. Upon retrial, he was found guilty of the same charge once again and his sentence was reinstated.[6]
In 1999, the Amedure family sued The Jenny Jones Show, Telepictures and Warner Brothers for the ambush tactics and their negligent role that led to Amedure's death. In May 1999, the jury awarded the Amedures 25 million US dollars.[7] The jury found that the Jenny Jones Show was both irresponsible and negligent, contending that the show intentionally created an explosive situation without due concern for the possible consequences.[8] Time Warner's defense attorney later claimed the verdict would cause a chilling effect on the industry.[9]
The judgment was later overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals in a 2 to 1 decision.[10]
The Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear the case (see official document).[11]