Creators of "S-Town" podcast sued

The estate of the man at the center of the popular "S-Town" podcast is suing the show's creators. The executor for John B. McLemore’s estate says the producers exploited details of his private life for financial gain. The lawsuit contends McLemore didn't give permission to broadcast the intimate details of his sexual orientation, mental state and other aspects of his life. "S-Town" tells the story of McLemore, an antique clock restorer from the town of Woodstock who killed himself in 2015. McLemore in 2012 sent an email to producers of "This American Life" asking for help in a murder investigation. The resulting 2017 podcast focused heavily on McLemore and included the description on its website as an "unearthing of the mysteries of one man's life." Attorneys for McLemore’s estate say the program generally involved the private matters of McLemore's life. S-Town executive producer Julie Snyder wrote in an emailed response to the Associated Press Saturday that she could not comment on the litigation other than to say it "lacks merit." The lawsuit asks for compensatory and punitive damages.