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Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis says he’s declaring war. That’s what he calls the latest development in his long history with Bay County officials. He filed a lawsuit and $300 million in claims against Bay County Tuesday.
Francis has faced multiple criminal charges and civil lawsuits in Bay County since he taped the Girls Gone Wild video series in Panama City Beach in 2003. Now, he’s taking it back to court, asking the county to pay and the result of one civil suit rescinded.
It happened in March of last year, when Federal Judge Richard Smoak ruled on an agreement after seven women sued Francis for taping them in sexually explicit videos in 2003.
Francis makes bold accusations about the agreement through his website, www.meetjoefrancis.com, saying, ” “in 2003 I was falsely accused of legal activity and wrongfully imprisoned by a small town courthouse gang including federal judge Richard Smoak. They threw me in jail and refused me bail further violating my rights,” said Francis.
His representatives say he was jailed for 11 months for criminal charges, but was told he would be held until he paid millions in an agreement for the Civil Suit.
“I was released 11 months later but only after I was extorted by the judge to pay his former law partners a multi-million dollar ransom,” Francis says on his website.
The teens who originally sued him are all named anonymously in his suit. But Francis doesn’t stop there. On his website visitors can click on a link to contact the U.S House Judiciary Committee to petition to impeach Judge Smoak.
Smoak’s representatives say he does not talk to the media.
Francis is also filing claims against the county for damages to materials seized during investigations including his plane and car, and to his business. The amount is roughly $300 million.
Despite previous orders prohibiting Francis to set foot in the county for the next 3 years, he says on his website Panama City hasn’t heard the last of him.
“As for the click of conspirators in Panama City Florida, you can run, but you can’t hide from justice,” said Francis.
Joe Francis is a pervert and a child molester. Why would anyone listen to anything this scum bag has to say? You people take the side of this monster, trash the girls and their parents and you wonder why morality in our country is so low. Joe Francis and his crew should have never been allowed to parade around in his flashy cars and buses for as long as he did. He never should have been allowed back after the first year. He should have been escorted to county lines as soon as he stepped foot in Bay County. I bet had Lee Sullivan been our Sheriff at the time, things wouldn’t have gone on so long. This guy is a joke, not famous- even TMZ thinks he’s a pervert. WHO CARES WHAT HE HAS TO SAY? Keep our kids safe!
This whole thing is a diverson used to tale your attention away from the corruption and stealing that goes on! They invite the spring break crowd down here every year to take their money and trash the place then they arrest them all. It is just like a speeding trap on the highway!!
I thought it was the worse thing in the world when I watched Mr. Meadows and department showing the film of one or more of the acts to a television station and watching, it was disgusting to watch their reactions. How unprofessional!
If you want to get him for bringing in “drugs” go ahead, I have no issue with that. I only have issue with the other charges and a so-called civil suit from the parents of those ohhh soo innocent girls.
I do not buy his videos or support him in any way, however, I do support his right to make LEGAL adult videos. I think the firing of the film crew and others involved in the filming of those “girls” was sufficient, I do not think he should be financially responsible for their actions.
Awww, poor, widdle baby!! He got his little feelings hurt, having to go to JAIL for his illegal activities!!! Poor Joe! He didn’t get to make his disgusting videos for a while! I just feel SOOOO bad for him. NOT! Umm, last time I looked, if you did ILLEGAL things, you paid for your crime! Did he or did he not bring in illegal drugs, etc while in jail?? I guess everyone should just ignore all of that because he THINKS he’s a “celebrity.” Whatever. I wish Steve Meadows had thrown him UNDER the jail, and I applaud our local leaders for standing up to him. Come on back down, Joe. We’ll show you what the bottom of the jail looks like if you think you’ve been treated unfairly. You’re out, aren’t you??
Ditto Richard!!! The parents just wanted a paycheck off Francis, they could care less what their daughters did.
I say bring it on, Joe. I’m sure Judge Smoak and Judge Costello will be happy to accommodate you again. It’s amazing what an inflated ego can convince its owner to do.
I hope he gets every penny he is asking for. I never once heard the parents of these kids take any responsability for allowing these kids to be around that.And who has ever heard of a person being sent to jail in a civil trail.
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Yep, He’s a pervert, Yep, he is a criminal in the eyes of most, I am not disputing that, I am not taking his side. I trash the girls and the parents for THEIR lack of personal responsibility. Not one of you wants to face the fact that the girls were not forced to do anything, EVERYONE here knows exactly what Girls Gone Wild is about, they knew it, they chose to do the things they did. They should not get paid to be idiots. Throw Francis in jail, make him pay the fines and do the time, but that does not excuse the so called victims for their actions. If someone got the girls drunk and talked them into robbing someone or worse, would they not be held accountable??? Should they get paid because they stole, robbed or beat someone??? You want to talk to me about morality??? Where is yours??