Judge Joe Brown Running For DA In Memphis

Judge Joe Brown is seeking elective office.

Brown, who was a syndicated television judge for 15 years, ran unopposed in the Democrat primary on Tuesday for Shelby County (Tenn.) district attorney. Shelby County is in the Memphis metropolitan area and is the largest county in the state.

He will face incumbent Amy Weirich, who also ran unopposed in the GOP primary, in the November general election.

Brown was a criminal court judge in Memphis before getting his own TV show called, not surprisingly, Judge Joe Brown, which was canceled last year.

Judge Brown, 66, made headlines in March when he was arrested and tossed in jail for contempt of court by a Shelby County juvenile court magistrate. There was some speculation that the whole thing was a publicity stunt for his campaign. You can hear the heated exchange with the judge by clicking on the previous link.

Brown was supposed to serve five days for contempt but he was released later that day on his own recognizance. He is appealing the contempt citation. Said Brown about the incident, “I’ve been involved with [the judicial system] for 40-something years, so every now and then it gives you perspective to get caught in the hot seat yourself.” About the court outburst itself, Brown said that”On a scale of one through 10, it was about a 1.5 in terms of intensity. Something I’ve been doing for years and lawyers in front of me did for years. But maybe we’ve got a new day where everybody’s softer and a little more delicate.”

Last August, the judge — or someone who closely resembled him and who appeared to have consumed a few adult beverages and was feeling no pain — was filmed in a Hollywood hotel lobby providing freewheeling commentary on a variety of subjects.

Do you think it’s likely that Judge Joe Brown will win election as Shelby County’s top prosecutor?