Pubdate: Sat, 11 Mar 2000
Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Copyright: News Limited 2000
Contact:  http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/
Related: http://www.dumpjudgejudy.com
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IS SHE SORRY? JUDGE FOR YOURSELF

GAVEL-TOTING Judge Judy Sheindlin has made a half-hearted apology for 
remarks she made about heroin users - "Give em all dirty needles and let 
'em die" - during her Australian visit late last year.

The comments, which she claimed were misquoted or taken out of context, 
landed the big-mouthed TV judge in hot water back in the US with several 
sponsors pulling out of her show.

"If they're looking for me to say I'm sorry to the families who lost 
children or loved ones [to AIDS or drugs] - absolutely," she said.

"I feel badly if words that I used hurt them, but am I going to apologise 
to a [drug advocacy] group that has an agenda - absolutely not. This group 
has an agenda, and that's legalising drugs."

Sheindlin made the controversial statement during her Australian visit to 
promote her new children's book. The conversation, she said, covered many 
topics.

But it touched on her feelings about needle-exchange and similar drug 
programs - policies that she passionately opposes.

"What I said in Australia was that you may give these people free needles, 
and you may give them a free place to shoot up, but nobody is giving them 
free heroin - and heroin is expensive," Sheindlin explained.

"These people are the ones who are going out to rob and maim and murder to 
get the money they need to buy drugs."

She now says she cannot recall her exact, original quote but she is sure it 
has since been twisted and changed.

Several drug reform groups in the US are asking sponsors of Judge Judy to 
yank their ads from the show until she apologises, a report on the Website 
apbnews.com reports.

At least three sponsors have already pulled spots. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake