Station settles after airing photograph of victim’s body

BURLINGTON, Vt. – The former owners of a Vermont television station will pay an undisclosed out-of-court settlement to the family of a murdered teacher after a photo of her nude body was aired during a news broadcast.

Richard and Phil Ann Jenkins of Newport filed suit in March 2016 against CBS affiliate WCAX-TV, saying they suffered severe emotional distress after the station aired the image of the body of their daughter, Melissa Jenkins, during an October 2014 broadcast.

The station was covering the trial of Allen Prue, of Waterford, who was later convicted of the 2012 killing of Melissa Jenkins.

The photograph was being used as evidence at Prue’s trial.

The station, which has since been sold, said airing the photo was a mistake and they changed procedures to prevent a recurrence.