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.