After almost 12 years on air, outspoken former prosecutor Nancy Grace announced on June 30 that she intends to leave HLN television network this fall.
“This fall, I'll be leaving HLN, my longtime TV home, with a full heart and endless gratitude. The Network has been my extended family for nearly a dozen years, and I am proud of the amazing work we’ve produced together,” said Grace in a released statement.
“We created an unparalleled platform that gave crime victims a voice and succeeded in helping to find missing people and spotlight unsolved homicides. I will continue my fight for justice across a variety of traditional and news media, where victims’ voices can reach an entirely engaged audience.”
Her coverage of the Casey Anthony trial, missing persons Natalee Hollowayn and Elizabeth Smart, and Jodi Arias on the CNN sister channel contributed to her mainstream popularity.
“She gave a voice to the voiceless and we are extremely grateful for her contributions to the network,” said Ken Jautz, HLN’s chief executive. “We will always be champions of Nancy’s mission and are excited to see what’s next for her.”
Grace, an advocate for crime victims is known for her tough reputation and hard-hitting questions on her eponymous show—at times proved to be overbearing for guests.
Melinda Duckett, the young mother of a missing boy named Trenton, fatally shot herself after appearing on the the show. The pre-taped interview was scheduled to air on Sept. 8, 2006, which is the same day Duckett committed suicide. Duckett’s family and estate filed a lawsuit against Grace, claiming it was her intense questioning that led to Duckett’s death.
Grace disagreed with the Duckett family in an interview with Good Morning America.
“If anything, I would suggest that guilt made her commit suicide,” Grace told ABC News’ Chris Cuomo. “To suggest that a 15- or 20-minute interview can cause someone to commit suicide is focusing on the wrong thing.”
Grace would reach a settlement with the estate of Melinda Duckett to create a $200,000 trust fund dedicated to locating Trenton in 2010.
There is no specific end date yet for Grace’s last show.
