The "Jenny Jones" talk show drove a Michigan man to commit murder by humiliating him in an episode about gay secret crushes and should pay his victim's family $50 million, a lawyer said Wednesday. In opening arguments of a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the owners of the popular trash-talk show, the lawyer for the family of victim Scott Amedure said "Jenny Jones" bears as much responsibility as Jonathon Schmitz, the man who killed Amedure. In his opening remarks, defense lawyer James Feeney told the jury his clients are not responsible because Schmitz knew that the secret admirer could be a man.

  • Schmitz was found guilty of murder in 1996, but the conviction was overturned because of an error in jury selection. He is awaiting a retrial. His lawyers admitted he killed Amedure but contend the show humiliated Schmitz, who was fighting alcoholism, depression and a thyroid condition.