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Fla. Woman Hates 'Judge Judy' So Much She Attacks Man with Hammer

By Andrew Chow, Esq. on January 10, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A Florida woman apparently hates the TV show "Judge Judy" so much, she attacked a man with a hammer. Janet Knowles, 62, of Jupiter, Fla., was arrested in connection with the "Judge Judy" attack, The Palm Beach Post reports.

A domestic violence call led police to Knowles' house about 11:30 a.m. Sunday. The alleged victim, a 65-year-old man who was not identified, told police he was relaxing in his recliner, watching "Judge Judy" on television, when Knowles for some reason just snapped, a police affidavit states.

Knowles got "upset with Judge Judy" and allegedly struck the man in the head with a hammer, the affidavit states.

The man suffered cuts to his head and arm. He held bloody paper towels to his head while police interviewed him about the "Judge Judy" attack, the Post reports.

Police also tried to interview Knowles. While Knowles confirmed that "Judge Judy" made her mad, she could not maintain a conversation with police, according to the Post.

Knowles was taken to jail, where she is being held in lieu of $10,000 bond, The Smoking Gun website reports. Knowles faces a charge of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon.

Battery is the intentional touching of, or use of force on, the body of another person in a harmful manner without consent. In most jurisdictions, the use of a weapon in a battery makes it "aggravated," and makes the crime a felony.

Knowles and the man's relationship is not clear. It's also not clear why the man was watching "Judge Judy" on a Sunday morning, when the show only airs on weekdays in that part of Florida. (Perhaps he was such a fan of the show that he recorded it.)

By coincidence, Judith "Judge Judy" Sheindlin also lives in Florida -- but on the other side of the state near Naples, according to a profile in Palm Springs Life.

Perhaps thankfully for the victim, there's no chance Knowles' "Judge Judy" attack case will actually be resolved on "Judge Judy." The TV judge show can only hear civil and family disputes, not criminal cases.

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