Talk Show Murder Conviction Upset

A man facing as many as 50 years in prison for killing a gay admirer who revealed his secret crush on him on “The Jenny Jones Show” had his murder conviction overturned by the Michigan Court of Appeals. The court said the trial judge should have honored Jonathan Schmitz’s lawyers’ request to remove a juror before trial. Schmitz, who says he is heterosexual, shot Scott Amedure, 32, on the victim’s doorstep three days after the two men appeared on a 1995 “Jenny Jones” taping. Schmitz was convicted in 1996 of second-degree murder. After the slaying, he told police he was humiliated by the on-camera surprise. The episode never aired, but it was played for the jury at trial. Prosecutors said they will appeal the ruling.