'Girls Gone Wild' Boss in Jail (Arrested in Fla)

http://www.cbs47.tv/entertainment/story.aspx?content_id=9c8893a1-e28f-4103-8a65-6bc681d8d6bf ^ | 4/10/07 | staff

[Rb ver. 2.0]

The man behind the 'Girls Gone Wild' video and DVD empire is finally in jail in Panama City after being arrested Tuesday at a local airport, according to People.com.

A federal judge ordered Joe Francis to surrender to authorities last week so he could begin serving jail time for contempt of court, but Francis didn't show up.

Francis was allegedly on his way to turn himself in Tuesday morning, when he was apprehended by Panama City airport police. He is currently being held at the Bay County jail.

U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak insisted that Francis should be jailed until he agreed to participate in mediation talks aimed at ending a four-year-old legal battle between the media mogul and seven underage women, who sued the 'Girls Gone Wild' boss after he filmed them in sexual situations.

Negotiations were set to begin last month but Francis stormed out of proceedings after verbally attacking lawyers. The media mogul then made a settlement offer for the plaintiffs to consider.

But Francis failed to appear at an emergency hearing last Wednesday, prompting Judge Smoak to raise the amount of money the 'Girls Gone Wild' boss had to pay the plaintiffs' lawyers.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

[Killborn]

I hate this guy and others like him to the core. But unless the girls are under the influence or coerced, they don’t have a leg to stand on.

[nmh]

He’s a porn vulture. He exploits the confused after he loads em up with liquor.

Put him in prison and let the guys get to know him ... .

[Red Badger]

...at least he didn’t call them nappy-headed hos.............

[Sonny M]

He is going to walk.

End of the day, the girls took the booze on their own and did what they did on their own.

You do not waive rights to consent just because your intoxicated.....but damn I do hate this guy.

[thackney]

But unless the girls are under the influence or coerced, they don’t have a leg to stand on.

What about the willing and sober underage girls? That is some of the charges.

[TommyDale]

Where are the pictures for this link?

[Just sayin]

What about girls presenting fake ID’s? To be sure, I don’t want my daughter involved in things of this nature but at the end of the day, these girls have to understand that when they make poor choices, poor consequences follow.

This world needs more personal accountability and less blame for everyone EXCEPT those who made the choices they made.

[Killborn]

If he knew about their ages before hand and proceeded to shoot anyway, then he is liable for criminal charges.

[mbynack]

I hate this guy and others like him to the core. But unless the girls are under the influence or coerced, they don’t have a leg to stand on.

The girls were 16 and 17 years old.

[nuke rocketeer]

Heck, I saw a big bus with the Girls Gone Wild painted all over it getting on I55 from the Jefferson St entrance ramp headed south yesterday when I was going home after work. WTF was it doing in Joliet, IL?????

[cripplecreek]

I agree that the guy is downright predatory but the girls he films choose to tie themselves on the line and dangle themselves out there like bait.

[thackney]

This world needs more personal accountability and less blame for everyone EXCEPT those who made the choices they made.

That would include those that hire underage girls to perform sexual acts.

[Clock King]

My opinion: parents shouldn’t be dumb enough to let underage daughters go to Spring Break in Mexico alone. Just plain common sense. The man is a troll, but we need to start demanding some responsibility from people as well. If a guy gets drunk and does something stupid, we put it on the guy. Women want to be equal? Well, start owning up to their own dumb antics.

[Killborn]

Correct, but did the guy know before hand that they are underage, were the girls coerced, or were their state of minds under the influence of a substance?

A yes in any of these questions would put this maggot away for a long time.

[Killborn]

I hear ya. No way any of my daughters are going to these dang “parties.”

But first, I have to have daughters. :D HAHAHA

:(

[Just sayin]

is false as written

At a CBS link? Fake but accurate strikes again!

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

Put him in prison and let the guys get to know him .

Inmates gone wild..