Midwin Charles, CNN and MSNBC legal analyst, dies at 47

Midwin Charles, a prominent defense attorney and legal analyst for CNN and MSNBC, died Tuesday at age 47.

News of the TV personality and Midwin Charles & Associates law firm founder's passing was announced by her family through Twitter. A tweet posted to Charles' account calls her death "untimely," though no cause was revealed. However, Charles' friend, Dean Obeidallah, tweeted about recently emailing her to wish her "a speedy recovery" for a serious illness that he didn't disclose.

"She was known to many as a legal commentator on television, but to us she was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and cousin," the family's message reads. "Our lives are forever changed, and we will miss her for a lifetime. The family thank you in advance for your love and prayers. Please allow the family time to grieve."

Journalist Joy Reid paid tribute to Charles on the social media site as well, calling her friend a "brilliant spirit and a beautiful soul."

"You were such a blessing. I'm just stunned, and have been since I learned of this today," Reid continued. "Blessings to your mom and family. To all, please live every moment like it's your last, and OVER-appreciate your friends."

Bernice King, CEO of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, also praised Charles' life and work in a tweet.

"From what people are sharing, her life was a light that brightened the way for others," she wrote. "Well-lived."

In addition to her work as a legal analyst at CNN, MSNBC, and HLN, Charles also contributed law-related pieces to Essence magazine and The Huffington Post over the years, and provided commentary on live trials daily on truTV.

Outside of her work in the media, she lectured at Syracuse University, was a member of the Dean's Diversity Council for American University's Washington College of Law, served on the board of Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN), and worked as a member of the Civil Rights Committee for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, according to her website.

See more tributes to Charles from media personalities — as well as actors Rosanna Arquette and Yvette Nicole Brown — below.

Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best films.

Related content:

• Stars we've lost in 2021
• How MSNBC's Steve Kornacki became a viral sensation in the wake of Election Night
• MSNBC's Steve Kornacki answers the internet's burning questions, reacts to thirsty tweets