DEATH THREATS FOR JUDGE JUDY IN AIDS SCANDAL

JUDGE JUDY Sheindlin is embroiled in a shocking AIDS uproar that has made
her the target of death threats and a campaign to take her off television.

The TV personality thrust herself into the middle of an explosive situation
by telling an audience that drug addicts should be given AIDS-tainted needles.

What's more, when she had the chance to apologize, she further inflamed her
critics by charging that anyone who thinks she really means what she says
"is a fool."

The problem began for America's popular court TV star when she was asked,
while promoting her new book in Australia, how she feels about that
country's program to prevent AIDS by providing addicts with clean needles.

Judge Judy's brash response: "Give them all dirty needles and die!"

At the time, her fans in the audience cheered. But now she's being buried
in an avalanche of threats.

"People are calling her a fascist and some have said she should get AIDS,"
disclosed a source close to the controversial star.

"Judy is frankly stunned by the reaction. She got carried away and it is
coming back to haunt her."

Bob Aldred, the chief executive of Queensland's Alcohol and Drug Foundation
in Australia called Judy's remarks, "callous and deplorable."

He continued, "The arrogance of a TV celebrity using the tragedy of young
lives struck down by drugs for her commercial gain is repulsive."

Added Craig E. Thompson, executive director of the AIDS Project Los
Angeles, "It is sad when a person who has the ability to reach millions
makes such an ignorant and thoughtless comment."

"Fortunately, she's merely a judge on a syndicated TV and no longer an
influential legal authority."

Judy made her remark at a literary luncheon while hawking her new book,
"Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever" according to an Australian news service.
The AIDS blast was picked up in the U.S. by nationally syndicated columnist
Arianna Huffington, who referred to the TV judge as a "sharp-tongued,
dull-witted jurist."

Soon Judge Judy was the target of hate-filled e-mails, threatening phone
calls and an organized boycott of her show.

Cliff Schaffer of Canyon County, Calif., was so outraged he's personally
mounted an Internet campaign to help get Judge Judy off the air by hitting
her and her show where it counts -- in the pocketbook.

He is circulating an extensive list of her advertisers, their phone numbers
and their e-mail addresses, so people can express their outrage.

And he calls her statement "completely reprehensible and inexcusable. Her
remarks show that she isn't fit to be a judge on television or anywhere else."

In private, Judge Judy realizes she made a mistake, according to the source.

"She got caught up in the melodrama and it has burned her," the source
revealed.

"Judy said, 'God, I never realized this could create such an uproar. I was
only doing what I do on my show. I believe in speaking my mind and I am
against drug addicts but I went too far and came off much too strong.

"'Plus, I was in Brisbane, Australia -- I had no idea that this would get
picked up back home.'"

But in public, she stubbornly refused to apologize.

Judge Judy's spokeswoman Nicki Pesusich told The ENQUIRER that the jurist
was traveling and not available to make any statements on the issue beyond
what she had posted on her Web site, www.judgejudy.com .

Her Web posting declared, "I am writing to set the record straight on my
position. Anybody who thinks that I would advocate the government supplying
tainted needles to addicts is a fool."

But one person who isn't buying that explanation is Dr. Dawn Day, director
of the Dogwood Center, a nonprofit research organization that fights drug
addiction and the spread of AIDS. "Every one of us should be appalled by
Judge Judy's comments," said Dr. Day. "It's a tragedy that a person who is
known should make such damaging statements."