Jonathan Schmitz

Jonathan Schmitz was born on July 18, 1970. He grew up in Michigan and was 24 years old when he appeared on The Jenny Jones Show in March 1995.

Before the murder, Schmitz had struggled with alcoholism and had a documented history of mental-health difficulties. His defense attorneys later presented evidence concerning his mental state, alcoholism and suicidal behavior during the criminal proceedings.

Schmitz knew Scott Amedure socially before the television appearance. The two were acquaintances rather than strangers.

On March 6, 1995, Schmitz traveled to Chicago with Amedure and mutual friend Donna Riley to participate in a taping of The Jenny Jones Show. The segment was titled "Same-Sex Secret Crushes."

Schmitz later said he believed he was going to meet a female secret admirer. During the taping, Amedure revealed that he was attracted to Schmitz.

The studio audience reacted enthusiastically, and the television segment included questions about Amedure's attraction to Schmitz. Schmitz subsequently described the experience as humiliating. The episode was never broadcast, although the videotape was later shown during the murder trials.

Schmitz murdered one victim, Scott Amedure.

After returning to Michigan from the television taping, Schmitz became increasingly upset about the encounter. Friends and acquaintances testified that he repeatedly discussed what had happened and that he was embarrassed by the revelation.

On March 9, 1995, three days after the taping, Schmitz discovered a suggestive note at his home that he believed had been left by Amedure.

Schmitz obtained a 12-gauge shotgun and drove to Amedure's mobile home in Lake Orion.

He confronted Amedure about the note. According to the evidence presented at trial, Amedure responded with a smile. Schmitz then returned to his vehicle, retrieved the shotgun and went back to the residence.

He fired two shots into Amedure's chest at the doorway.

Amedure, aged 32, died from the shooting.

Schmitz immediately left the residence and called 911 from a nearby gas station. He admitted to police that he had shot Amedure and subsequently surrendered. Contemporary reporting said Schmitz told police that the experience surrounding the television show had contributed to the killing.

The prosecution ultimately obtained a second-degree murder conviction rather than a first-degree murder conviction. The jury determined that the prosecution had not established premeditated murder beyond a reasonable doubt.

Schmitz's murder of Amedure was a targeted shooting following a personal confrontation.

He obtained a 12-gauge shotgun, drove to Amedure's residence and confronted him about a note he believed Amedure had left. After initially leaving the doorway, Schmitz retrieved the firearm from his vehicle and returned before shooting Amedure twice in the chest.

The killing was therefore not a random attack. Schmitz specifically went to Amedure's home, armed himself and confronted him before carrying out the shooting.

Schmitz did not attempt to evade police following the murder.

Immediately after shooting Amedure, he left the residence and called 911. He admitted that he had killed Amedure and surrendered to authorities.

Police arrested him the same day and charged him with murder and a firearm offense.

Schmitz's first murder trial took place in 1996.

The defense argued that his mental state, alcoholism and the circumstances surrounding the television appearance should be considered in determining his culpability. His attorneys also argued that the encounter with Amedure had caused severe humiliation and emotional distress.

On November 12, 1996, a jury found Schmitz guilty of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison, along with a consecutive two-year sentence for felony-firearm possession.

In 1998, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the murder conviction because of an error involving jury selection and ordered a new trial.

Schmitz was retried in August 1999. The second jury again rejected the defense's argument for a lesser offense and convicted him of second-degree murder.

On September 14, 1999, Schmitz was again sentenced to 25 to 50 years in prison.

The case also generated a major civil lawsuit brought by Amedure's family against Warner Bros., Telepictures and The Jenny Jones Show. A jury initially awarded the family $25 million, but the Michigan Court of Appeals later reversed the judgment, ruling that the show's producers had no legally cognizable duty to prevent Amedure's murder.

Schmitz was granted parole in 2017 and released from prison on August 22 of that year, having served approximately 22 years.