Midwin Charles Dies: CNN and MSNBC Legal Analyst Was 47

Midwin Charles (Credit: NBC News)

Midwin Charles, a defense attorney and legal analyst who appeared on CNN and MSNBC, died on Tuesday. She was 47.

Her family confirmed the news through Charles’ Twitter account. No official cause of death was given.

“It is with a profoundly heavy heart and the deepest sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved Midwin Charles,” family members said in a statement. “She was known to many as a legal commentator on television, but to us she was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, niece and cousin. Our lives are forever changed and we will miss her for a lifetime.”

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Charles’ fellow television hosts, politicians and fans expressed shock and sadness after learning about her death.

MSNBC host Joy Reid tweeted a photo of the two of them together, writing: “Midwin dear heart, you were a brilliant spirit and beautiful soul. You were such a blessing. I’m just stunned, and have been since I learned of this today. Blessings to your mom and family. To all, please live every moment like it’s your last, and OVER-appreciate your friends.”

Marc Lamont Hill tweeted: “This is simply devastating. Midwin was such a wonderful, brilliant, kind, and beautiful soul. Our hearts are broken.”

In addition to her legal analysis, Charles also was a commentator on pop culture and politics for several television networks. Aside from contributing to CNN and MSNBC, she appeared as a commentator for TV One, Bloomberg TV, HLN, and others.

She was founder of New York-based law firm Midwin Charles & Associates LLC.

Charles graduated from Syracuse University before obtaining her law degree from American University.
Following law school, she served as a clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals for Sixth Circuit Judge Eric L. Clay and as a research fellow in social justice at Harvard Law School, according to her law firm’s website.