<P> The season ends with Bill and Harriet forced to confront the impending execution of Harriet's ex-husband and Eugene's disapproval of their relationship . Despite not wanting to hurt Eugene, they both go forward with their growing romance . </P> <P> Rollins was fired due to health reasons plus three outstanding warrants in Rockdale County and the city of Covington, GA . He was replaced for season seven by Carl Weathers . Filming began on April 28, 1993 . Rollins had not been seen on the set since January 1993, when season six wrapped . Despite numerous attempts by the media to contact Rollins, who was believed to be living in New York City, only series star Carroll O'Connor was in contact with Rollins during this period . It was hoped that Rollins would get his legal and personal issues resolved and return to the series full time, both to practice law and to assist the Sparta P.D. with cases, but this was not the case . </P> <P> After season 6, Anne - Marie Johnson and Geoffrey Thorne left the series alongside Rollins . Rollins would return occasionally as a guest star, while Johnson took a starring role on Fox's In Living Color . Thorne left to pursue a career as a novelist and screenwriter; his character simply vanished from the series without any explanation . </P> <P> Season 7 began with Bill Gillespie being forced out of office and former Memphis, Tennessee Police Department Inspector Hampton Forbes hired as the new police chief . After nearly three decades on the Sparta police force, Gillespie does not receive a new contract from the city council because of his open relationship with Harriet DeLong . However, Gillespie is soon appointed as the acting Sheriff of Newton County when Nathan McComb suffers a heart attack and is too ill to continue his duties . Bill's first case as Sheriff is to solve the murder of one of the richest families in Sparta--the Barons . Wade Hatton, played by Stacy Keach, is a lawyer from New Orleans who has returned to his native Sparta to revisit his childhood memories and romance Sarah Hallisey . The prime suspect in the case is a 16 - year - old black youth, played by Wayne Brady with an intellectual disability . Gillespie eventually solves the case with the help of Hatton, Hallisey, and Judge Cully--much to the dissatisfaction of District Attorney Darnell, who feels the prisoner is being treated in a privileged status due to his disability . Meanwhile, Chief Forbes is escorted on a driving tour of Sparta by Bubba Skinner and Officer Covey . Forbes gets to see both the finest street in town, along which Bubba indicates that he has solved many major crimes, as well as "The Bottoms". Chief Forbes soon realizes that Sparta is no different from Memphis, and he and Gillespie will need to work together to keep the town safe from the criminal elements . Howard Rollins returns in his new capacity as attorney Virgil Tibbs and assists on three of the Sparta PD's cases after having moved into Ben Taylor's law office . </P>

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