[WARNING: Graphic Content]
(January 26 1963 - March 9 1995)
On March 6 1995, Scott Amedure videotaped an episode of The Jenny Jones Show, in which he admitted to being a secret admirer of Jonathan Schmitz, who lived near him. Until the taping, Schmitz didn’t know who his admirer was, but claims it was implied by the producers of the show that his admirer would be a woman. During the segment, Amedure was encouraged to describe his fantasies with Schmitz, after which Schmitz was brought onstage for an awkward embrace with his now not-so-secret admirer.
In response to Amedure’s displays of affection, Schmitz simply laughed and then stated he was “completely heterosexual”. According to the footing of the murder trial, it was later stated by a friend of Amedure that Amedure and Schmitz went out drinking together the night after the taping, and an alleged sexual encounter occurred. According to the testimony, three days after the taping, Amedure left a “suggestive” note at Schmitz’s house. After finding the note, Schmitz withdrew money from a bank, purchased a shotgun, and then went to Amedure’s mobile home. He then shot Amedure twice in the chest, killing him. After the shooting, Schmitz left Amedure’s home, called 9-1-1, and confessed to the killing.
At trial, Schmitz attorneys argued that he committed the murder by way of the “gay panic defense”. This is a legal defense used by attorneys to claim that their client attacked in a state of violent and temporary insanity, because of unwanted same-sex sexual advances. A defendant may allege to have found the advances so offensive or frightening that they were provoked into reacting or were acting in self-defence. Schmitz was found guilt 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. He was released from prison on August 22 2017.
When 90's talk show host Jenny Jones dies, will there be people saying they're glad she's dead because she and her infamous talk show have been blamed for Jonathan Schmitz killing Scott Amedure, as well as other atrocities from her talk show?
