Judge Joe Brown is not amused by speculation about his involvement in the Sheryl Lee Ralph assault case!
James Blakeney Brown Jr., a former lawyer turned TV personality, is best known for starring in the arbitration-based reality TV show, “Judge Joe Brown.” Given his job, the 75-year-old doesn’t run in the same circles as other celebrities.
However, after the shocking revelation from the ‘Moesha’ actress, fans put on their detective shoes in search of the suspect in the alleged abuse. Many concluded that the Washington native was guilty, prompting the father-of-two to hit back.
Judge Joe Brown breaks silence on his alleged involvement in Sheryl Lee Ralph’s assault
As a former Shelby County Criminal Court judge, the TV personality’s battles didn’t extend beyond the law. However, in light of Ralph’s history of assault, the 75-year-old was dragged to the wrong side of the bench.
Instead of letting the internet go wild with claims about his character, the ‘Hot Topics With Judge Joe’ star aired his grievances on Twitter. Brown’s version of the story came nearly a week after the Emmy winner dropped her abuse story.
“False rumors are circulating that I abused a certain lady ≈ 25 years ago. I categorically deny the accusations and knowledge of the lady,” the former judge wrote.
Firm on his innocence, the Washington native threatened to file a lawsuit if his name continued to be cited in Ralph’s case. “These rumors started with certain parties being identified and have spread. They should ‘Cease and desist’ or consider a libel action,” the father-of-two warned.
As shared by VIBE, Brown, who is running for mayor of Memphis, announced in another interview that he was prepared to involve his legal team in a libel suit as ongoing speculation damaged his name.
“When they put my face next to his, it becomes an innuendo. It’s very destructive to my reputation,” the judge-turned-politician said. The media personality noted that the charges were unfounded, given her past fighting for women’s rights.
There are false rumors floating around that I abused a certain lady ≈ 25 years ago
I categorically deny the accusations and knowledge of the lady
These rumors started with some parts identified and spread
They must “cease and desist” or consider a libel action
— JudgeJoeBrown (@JudgeJoeBrownTV) March 24, 2023
“Not only do I have a long track record of ensuring women get justice when they’ve been abused,” the former lawyer continued. “My motto for half a century has been ‘protect femininity and promote manhood’ and [sic] those who don’t seem to like it.
The independent candidate running for mayor of Memphis in 2023 said he had never met the ‘Dreamgirls’ star, which he noted also did not involve him in her history. In the words of the politician:
“So far she hasn’t said anything that involves me. [but] the fact is that I do not know this woman, I have never met this woman, I certainly had no contact with her.
If the duo was unrelated, as Brown claimed, why did these rumors start? Fans suspected the Washington native was Ralph’s abuser because the pair had ties to the same organization.
CBS production company Big Ticket Entertainment produced Ralph’s ’90s sitcom “Moesha” and Brown’s eponymous court show. This relationship made the former television judge the possible abuser in the history of honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta.
#JudgeJoeBrown speaks out amid some speculation that the actress #SherylLeeRalph was allegedly referring to him when talking about a “famous TV judge” who sexually assaulted her years ago. Sheryl did not reveal the identities of the people during the interview. (🎥 @wayupwithyee) pic.twitter.com/gdiGGbeSUD
— theJasmineBRAND (@thejasminebrand) March 25, 2023
Abbott Elementary star was forced to remain silent over her abuse
Ralph first shared the revelation that she was assaulted by a “famous TV judge” at a work event during an appearance on the “Way Up With Angela Yee” podcast last week.
According to the Independent Spirit Award winner, her attacker forcefully kissed her in front of their peers. “This man came in, grabbed me by the back of my neck, turned me around, and stuck his mean tongue down my throat, and everyone on the network saw him,” the Connecticut native recalled.
The mother-of-two explained that she was dressed appropriately for the event and had no affiliation with her abuser except for working on the same network. However, the Broadway star declined to release the man’s name and when the incident happened.
Although she kept these key details hidden, the artist stressed that her attacker was not Judge Greg Mathis, who she described as a “great man”. Surprisingly, being attacked in a room full of people didn’t mean the 66-year-old had vital witnesses to back up her story.
Ralph claimed the network prioritized their image over her pain, allegedly pleading with the 66-year-old not to report the incident to avoid “bad press”. Recalling the sad memory, the TV personality said, “They didn’t want any bad press around their show and didn’t care what just happened to me.”
