While defendants' attorney James Feeney denied allegations of negligence on the part of "The Jenny Jones Show" in Scott Amedure's slaying, plaintiffs' attorney Geoffrey Fieger said the program "provided the victim, the murder, and the motive."(Court TV)

				JENNY JONES CIVIL TRIAL
				The Trial of Jonathan Schmitz Read the Complaint Sept. 14 1998 Update (Schmitz' conviction overturned) March 18 Update March 26 Update March 30 Update March 30 Update (Afternoon) March 31 Update (Plaintiff Opening Statements) March 31 Update (Defendant Opening Statements) April 1 Update (Morning) April 1 Update (Afternoon) April 5 Update (Morning) April 5 Update (Afternoon) April 6 Update (Morning) April 6 Update (Afternoon) April 7 Update (Morning) April 7 Update (Afternoon) April 8 Update (Morning) April 8 Update (Afternoon) April 9 Update (Morning) April 9 Update (Afternoon) April 12 Update (Morning) April 12 Update (Afternoon) April 13 Update (Morning) April 13 Update (Afternoon) April 14 Update (Morning) April 14 Update (Afternoon) April 15 Update April 16 Update April 19 Update April 20 Update April 21 Update (Morning) April 21 Update (Afternoon) April 22 Update April 23 Update (Morning) April 23 Update (Afternoon) April 26 Update April 27 Update (Morning) April 27 Update (Afternoon) April 28 Update April 29 Update April 30 Update May 3 Update May 4 Update (Morning) May 4 Update (Evening) May 5 Update (Closing Arguments) May 5 Update (Closing Arguments) May 6 Update (Jury Instructions) May 6 Update (Geraldo Rivera Interview) May 7 Update (The Verdict) May 7 Update (Post-Verdict Reaction) May 10 Update (Jenny Jones Interview)

PONTIAC, Mich. (Court TV) — Denying plaintiff allegations that "The Jenny Jones Show" set the stage for Jonathan Schmitz's murder of Scott Amedure, defendants' attorney James Feeney insisted Schmitz was not deceived by producers and indicated in his pre-show interview that he knew his "secret crush" could be a man.

"Where is the evidence that anyone from 'The Jenny Jones Show' told Mr. Schmitz that his crush was a woman?" Feeney asked. "Much has been raised about producers screening their guests. Well, 'The Jenny Jones Show' did screen its guests. The evidence is in Jon Schmitz's pre-show interview."

"He was asked how would he feel if his secret crush was a man. He said, 'I would go with it but I would say thanks but no thanks. It would be a disappointment, but don't worry. I'll be okay. I just hope every turns out okay ... it could be embarrassing.'"

In 1995, Amedure was shot to death by Schmitz three days after Amedure revealed his secret crush on him during a taping of a "same-sex secret crush" episode. Amedure's family, who is represented by Geoffrey Fieger, believes that "The Jenny Jones Show," its parent company Warner Bros. and production company Telepictures started the chain of events that led to the murder and should have asked Schmitz whether he suffered from a mental illness before having him appear on the show.

Jones' producers, however, say the show had nothing to do with the murder, deny misleading Schmitz before the show, and suggest something else happened between the two men that triggered the slaying. "The Jenny Jones Show" is produced by Warner Bros., which is owned by Time Warner, a part owner of Court TV.

During closing arguments Wednesday, Feeney stressed that Schmitz's answers in his pre-show interview prove that the show's producers were not negligent in their handling of him and that he knew the potential for embarrassment on the show. He said Schmitz's initial hesitance and ultimate decision to appear on the show because his curiosity "got up" proves he knew about the risks.

Feeney also challenged the plaintiffs' claim that the show sent Schmitz's into a deep depression. Schmitz, Feeney argued, was partying with Amedure and their mutual friend Donna Riley, and celebrating their appearance on "Jenny Jones." He said Schmitz did not behave like someone who had just been humiliated before a television audience.

"Why would anyone party with people who had led him into a situation of embarrassment or humiliation?" Feeney asked. "I think [Schmitz] was celebrating. I think he was happy ... I think he was content."

The defendants' attorney also noted that Schmitz had even made plans with Amedure after the show to go shopping for a ceiling fan. Schmitz, Feeney said, appeared to be a person that was coping with his experience on "The Jenny Jones Show."

Feeney told jurors he did not know what happened to make Schmitz murder Amedure after the show. However, he suggested that Schmitz's family, particularly his father, turned his appearance on a same-sex, secret crush episode of "Jenny Jones" into a family crisis.

"It was Jon's father who told him that he had not done a good thing appearing on the show and said something about not having grandchildren," Feeney said. "I think this played a significant role in Jon's thinking from here on forward."

Alluding to the testimony of Kristen Joyce, Schmitz's ex-fiancee, and Riley, Feeney stressed that Schmitz was able to hide his mental illness from his closest friend. Some of his best friends did not realize he had a mental illness, and Joyce testified that he could "turn it on and off."

Feeney said the producers of "The Jenny Jones Show" could not have detected Schmitz's mental illness if his friends could not see it — and could not have foreseen his reaction to a surprise same-sex crush. Schmitz, Feeney said, did not have history of violence against homosexuals and told producers he had not been institutionalized.

According to Feeney, Schmitz was logical and clear-minded when he accepted the invitation on the talk-show. He was functioning like a healthy human being and did not appear ill. Feeney stressed that Schmitz never mentioned being embarrassed on "The Jenny Jones Show" in his police confession but alluded to Amedure not leaving him alone.

During his closing arguments on behalf of the plaintiffs, Geoffrey Fieger accused the program of providing of the killer and the motive in Amedure's slaying.

"They picked the murderer and provided the motive," Fieger said. "The only thing they didn't do was pull the trigger."

Fieger told jurors that the fateful secret-crush episode of was not about fostering relationships and humanizing homosexual relationships. Instead, he insisted, it was about ambushing heterosexual men with gay sexual fantasies and exploiting and stereotyping gay people as "sex machines." The show deceived Schmitz into coming on the show — even after he told them he didn't want to come on if his crush was a man — in order to exploit his emotional reaction for ratings and money, Fieger said.

The show's producers never explicitly told Schmitz it was a same-sex crush show, and Fieger stressed that their negligence and deceit led to Schmitz's "descent into madness" and Amedure's murder. The show, Fieger said, failed to protect Scott Amedure.

Amedure's family originally sought $50 million in the suit, but Fieger has asked jurors to award over $70 million. Jurors will start deliberating after receiving instructions Thursday morning.

—Bryan Robinson