History of Nancy Grace in Timeline
Nancy Grace is an American legal commentator and television journalist known for her strong opinions and advocacy for victims' rights. She gained prominence hosting nightly news and current affairs shows like "Nancy Grace" on HLN (2005-2016) and "Closing Arguments" on Court TV (1996-2007). She also authored "Objection!: How High-Priced Defense Attorneys, Celebrity Defendants, and a 24/7 Media Have Hijacked Our Criminal Justice System," reflecting her views on the criminal justice system. Additionally, Grace presided over the first season of the courtroom reality show "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace."
1977: Graduation from Windsor Academy
In 1977, Nancy Grace graduated from Windsor Academy in Macon, Georgia, marking a milestone in her early education.
1979: Murder of Nancy Grace's Fiance
In 1979, Nancy Grace's college fiancé was murdered, an event she has publicly referred to as the impetus for her career.
1996: Joining Court TV
In 1996, Nancy Grace accepted an offer from Court TV founder Steven Brill to co-host a legal commentary show with Johnnie Cochran.
1997: Reprimand by Supreme Court of Georgia
In 1997, Nancy Grace was reprimanded by the Supreme Court of Georgia for withholding evidence and making improper statements in an arson and murder case, leading to the overturning of the conviction. The court stated that Grace's behavior was inexcusable and demonstrated disregard for due process and fairness.
2004: Hosting Closing Arguments
In 2004, Nancy Grace began hosting Closing Arguments on Court TV, replacing Lisa Bloom and James Curtis, after hosting Trial Heat since 1996.
May 21, 2005: Saturday TV Funhouse Voice Appearance
On May 21, 2005, Nancy Grace was voiced by Amy Poehler as part of Saturday Night Live's Saturday TV Funhouse segment in a Divertor sketch, saying "[Name of celebrity in question] should fry."
2005: Publication of Objection!: How High-Priced Defense Attorneys...
In 2005, Nancy Grace's first book, Objection!: How High-Priced Defense Attorneys, Celebrity Defendants, and a 24/7 Media Have Hijacked Our Criminal Justice System, was published and became a New York Times bestseller.
March 2006: New York Observer Article on Embellishment Claims
In March 2006, the New York Observer published an article suggesting that Nancy Grace embellished the story of her college fiancé's 1979 murder in her book Objection! to better support her image.
November 21, 2006: The Smoking Gun Exposes Pending Litigation
On November 21, 2006, The Smoking Gun exposed pending litigation on behalf of the estate of Melinda Duckett, asserting a wrongful death claim against CNN and Grace.
December 5, 2006: Tommy McCoy Released on Parole
On December 5, 2006, Tommy McCoy, the murderer of Nancy Grace's fiancé Griffin, was released on parole from the Georgia Department of Corrections.
March 2007: Response to Keith Olbermann's Claims
In March 2007, Nancy Grace responded to Keith Olbermann's claims about her embellishing the story of her fiancé's murder, stating she would not waste her time on a war of words with him.
April 2007: Marriage to David Linch
In April 2007, Nancy Grace married David Linch, an Atlanta investment banker, in a small private ceremony, after reconnecting with him from their time at Mercer University in the 1970s.
May 22, 2007: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Appearance
On May 22, 2007, Nancy Grace appeared in the season 8 finale episode "Screwed" of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing herself opposite Star Jones.
June 26, 2007: Pregnancy Announcement
On June 26, 2007, Nancy Grace announced on her HLN talk show that she was pregnant with twins.
November 2007: Birth of Twins
In November 2007, Nancy Grace gave birth to her twins, Lucy Elizabeth and John David.
2007: End of Court TV show Closing Arguments
In 2007, Nancy Grace ended her show Closing Arguments on Court TV, after hosting it since 2004.
January 2008: Expected Birth of Twins
In January 2008, Nancy Grace was expecting the birth of her twins.
August 11, 2009: Release of The Eleventh Victim
On August 11, 2009, Nancy Grace's first fiction novel, The Eleventh Victim, was released by Hyperion. The mystery thriller became a New York Times bestseller and the foundation for the Hailey Dean Mysteries movie series.
August 10, 2010: Publication of Death on the D-List
On August 10, 2010, Nancy Grace's novel, Death on the D-List, was published by Hyperion, becoming a New York Times bestseller.
September 13, 2010: Premiere of Swift Justice with Nancy Grace
On September 13, 2010, "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace" premiered, featuring Grace as the arbiter in the syndicated courtroom reality show.
November 8, 2010: Settlement with Melinda Duckett Estate
On November 8, 2010, Nancy Grace reached a settlement with the estate of Melinda Duckett, creating a $200,000 trust fund dedicated to locating Trenton Duckett.
May 2011: Departure from Swift Justice with Nancy Grace
In May 2011, Nancy Grace left "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace" due to productions moving from Atlanta to Los Angeles.
July 5, 2011: Highest Ratings for Nancy Grace Show
On July 5, 2011, Nancy Grace's show on HLN achieved its highest ratings ever in the 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. hour slots after the controversial verdict in the Casey Anthony case.
September 2011: Jackie Glass Takes Over Swift Justice
In September 2011, Judge Jackie Glass replaced Nancy Grace on Swift Justice.
September 19, 2011: Dancing with the Stars Debut
On September 19, 2011, Nancy Grace began her run as a contestant on the thirteenth season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Tristan MacManus.
November 8, 2011: Elimination from Dancing with the Stars
On November 8, 2011, Nancy Grace was eliminated from Dancing with the Stars, finishing in 5th place with her partner Tristan MacManus, one week before the semi-finals.
November 22, 2011: Coverage of the Toni Annette Medrano Case
On November 22, 2011, Nancy Grace covered the case of Toni Annette Medrano, who accidentally killed her 3-week-old son, and infamously dubbed her "Vodka Mom."
January 4, 2012: Settlement in Lawsuit Against CNN
On January 4, 2012, a lawsuit against CNN brought by Medrano's family was settled after Medrano's death following controversial coverage by Nancy Grace.
April 2012: Appearance on Raising Hope
In April 2012, Nancy Grace appeared as herself in the last two episodes of the second season of the TV show Raising Hope.
June 6, 2012: Medrano Charged with Manslaughter
On June 6, 2012, Toni Annette Medrano was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter after the death of her son in November of 2011, a case covered by Nancy Grace.
2012: End of Swift Justice with Nancy Grace
In 2012, production of "Swift Justice with Nancy Grace" ceased after one more season with Jackie Glass.
January 6, 2013: SNL Parody on Legalization of Marijuana
On January 6, 2013, Saturday Night Live parodied Nancy Grace's reaction to the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, with much of the dialogue taken from an interview with Brooke Baldwin on CNN.
January 6, 2014: Controversial Statements on Recreational Marijuana Use
On January 6, 2014, Nancy Grace ignited controversy with negative statements about recreational marijuana users during a segment on CNN, claiming they were "fat and lazy."
January 2014: Negative Depiction of Recreational Marijuana Users
In January 2014, Nancy Grace faced criticism for her negative depiction of recreational marijuana users, including statements made on January 6, 2014, during a CNN segment.
April 8, 2014: Nancy Grace Discusses Ultimate Warrior's Death
On April 8, 2014, following the death of The Ultimate Warrior, Nancy Grace hosted Diamond Dallas Page on her show and controversially linked wrestler deaths to steroid use, despite an autopsy concluding Warrior died of natural causes without drugs or alcohol in his system.
2014: Character in Gone Girl Based on Nancy Grace
In 2014, the character of Ellen Abbot in the film Gone Girl was widely acknowledged to be based on Nancy Grace, who was "very flattered" by the portrayal.
October 11, 2016: Appearance on The Jim Norton and Sam Roberts Show
On October 11, 2016, Nancy Grace appeared as a guest on "The Jim Norton and Sam Roberts Show," where she was criticized for capitalizing on others' tragedies and her handling of past cases. She stated that she had to hold back tears during the interview.
October 13, 2016: Final Show of Nancy Grace
On October 13, 2016, Nancy Grace hosted her last show at the end of her contract.
2016: Publication of Murder in the Courthouse
In 2016, Nancy Grace's book, Murder in the Courthouse, was published by BenBella Books.
January 10, 2017: Launch of Crime Stories with Nancy Grace Podcast
On January 10, 2017, Nancy Grace began hosting a daily podcast on Crime Online called "Crime Stories with Nancy Grace."
June 2017: Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry Reading
In June 2017, Nancy Grace had a reading with Tyler Henry on Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry, where she believed he communicated with her deceased father and fiancé, leading her to feel a sense of closure.
April 2018: Susan Gerbic Analyzes Tyler Henry Reading
In April 2018, Susan Gerbic analyzed Nancy Grace's reading with Tyler Henry, detailing how Grace was seemingly fooled by cold and hot reading techniques.
July 13, 2019: Premiere of Injustice with Nancy Grace
On July 13, 2019, a true crime series titled "Injustice with Nancy Grace" began on Oxygen TV, with episodes focusing on criminal cases.
2023: Honorary Doctorate from Jacksonville State University
In 2023, Nancy Grace was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Jacksonville State University.
