‘Judge Joe Brown’ Cancelled After 15 Seasons

Ruth Manuel-Logan — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:28:16 +0000

CBS Television Distribution has brought down the gavel on “Judge Joe Brown (pictured),” the second highest-rated court show in television syndication that stars the no-nonsense ajudicator Joe Brown, reports the Huffington Post.

Reportedly, the cancellation took place as a result of not being able to come to a happy medium over Brown’s $20-million annual salary, which CBS was looking to trim because of the show’s dip in ratings.

Even though all of the syndicated court shows have seen a decline in viewership, Brown’s half-hour daily program has maintained its No. 2 two spot behind the viewer favorite, “Judge Judy, ” whose No. 1 spot beats all of her competitors by a wide margin.

Watch an episode of “Judge Joe Brown” here:

Brown’s show first graced our small screens back in 1998. Prior to his television deal, the 65-year-old served as a criminal courts judge in Shelby County, Tenn. Brown began his career as a practicing attorney before he landed the role of a Memphis prosecutor, the very first African-American prosecutor in the city.

When Brown presided over the appeal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s convicted murderer, James Earl Ray, he garnered public attention. Accusations of racial bias resulted in Brown being removed from the Ray case.

Even though he got booted from the famed case, Brown caught the attention of producers and distributors of the “Judge Judy” show, and not long after, his name became a fixture in homes across America for more than a decade.

The “Judge Joe Brown” show will continue to run in original and repeat episodes until September of this year. As far as the next steps for the suave and distinguished Brown, he has reportedly met with famed TV executive Byron Allen about holding on to his show, according to an unnamed source. As far as Brown obtaining a salary that even comes close to what he is making now, if he decides to cement a deal with Allen’s Entertainment Studios, forgettaboutit, speculates the source.

Family Demands Answers After 24-Year-Old Dies During Abortion

Ruth Manuel-Logan — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:54:20 +0000

Tonya Reaves (pictured) died Friday night, after having a second trimester abortion at a Planned Parenthood facility in Chicago, according to CBS Chicago. Now her twin sister and other family members want answers as to what happened during the abortion procedure that went awry.

An autopsy revealed that the 24-year-old woman died from a hemorrhage after a dilation and evacuation (D&E) procedure, which is typically done for women in their second trimester (second 12 weeks) of pregnancy. A D&E ends a pregnancy and involves the dilation of the cervix and surgical removal of the fetal tissue from inside the uterus.

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“Abortion deaths like this are completely avoidable. When a woman bleeds to death after an abortion, it is usually an indication of error on the part of the abortionist coupled with a delay in calling for emergency assistance,” Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation, told Life News in a statement Sunday. “Our heartfelt prayers go out to the victim’s family at this time of tragic loss.”

Reeves’ death, which was ruled an accident, comes at a time when abortion is one of the forefront issues in this country. Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, has been targeted by those who vehemently oppose the practice of abortion. Consequently, there have been efforts to defund the organization.

For example, the North Carolina legislature overrode a veto by their governor in a new attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. In Arizona, a new state law has cut off public funding to the organization because it is an abortion provider. Earlier this month, Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly Alliance Defense Fund) filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood, alleging that the group repeatedly filed false claims with Medicaid and collected $28 million.

Yet despite all of the negative hoopla surrounding Planned Parenthood, President Barack Obama has been supportive of the organization.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced that a $1 million grant — spread out over a three-year period — would go to Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis this month. The grant announcement comes on the heels of a funding cut made to the organization by the Tennessee legislature and Shelby County Commission.

Unfortunately, Reaves, who left behind a 1-year-old son and fiance, died during a routine procedure, with only a 0.3 percent complications rate, according to the pro-abortion rights organization the Guttmacher Institute.

Planned Parenthood commented on Reaves’ untimely death in a written statement:

We were shocked and saddened upon learning of a tragic development at a nearby hospital. Our hearts go out to the loved ones of this patient. While legal abortion services in the United States have a very high safety record, a tragedy such as this is devastating to loved ones and we offer our deepest sympathies. Planned Parenthood of Illinois cares deeply about the health and safety of each and every patient. We do not publicly discuss private patient matters and we follow HIPAA laws that forbid the disclosure of patient information, said Planned Parenthood of Illinois CEO Carole Brite.

Reaves’ twin sister, Toni, says she will not rest until she finds out what happened to her best friend. “We were born the same day. She was my other half.”

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‘Judge Joe Brown’ Cancelled After 15 Seasons

Family Demands Answers After 24-Year-Old Dies During Abortion