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Girls Gone Wild “Saga” Continues
11/20/09 - 05:13 PM
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Joe Francis, creator of “Girls Gone Wild” is a no show for a court proceeding here in Panama City. Last year, four people filed a suit against Francis, for alleged damages caused to them from participation in sexually explicit videos. They assert that the videos were taped while they were underage and distributed as part of the “Girls Gone Wild” series.

The “saga,” as the judge calls it, continues.

At today’s hearing, the girl’s attorneys asked for a default judgment on the case. The lawyers for both sides duked it out all day. The girl’s lawyers say that Francis is uncooperative and makes the case impossible. His lawyer says he’s followed the rules. But meanwhile, Judge Richard Smoak seems to think that the girl’s lawyers are “obsessed” with Francis and may be overlooking “common investigative techniques.”

As we’ve seen before, Joe Francis is quite the character, but he did not show up for court today. His lawyer says he’s hospitalized with an ear infection in Mexico. Despite his absence his lawyer says Francis is prepared to go to trial. 

“He obviously was in a big tussle with the power structures here in Panama City, and he feels like this is a vendetta against him. Not for the people of Bay County who he likes a lot and has enjoyed being here, but when you’re put in jail somewhere it scares you and I don’t think Joe Francis will be back in Panama City unless required to by the courts,” said Joe Francis’ Attorney, Rick Bateman.

The girl’s lawyers say they’ve still got questions for Joe Francis. They say he claims he does not know how much he’s worth, or how much money was made off of the sale of DVD’s that featured the girls.

And yet another wrench was thrown into this debate.

Attorneys on both sides learned from the celebrity news outlet TMZ, that the IRS may have put a tax lien on Francis for nearly $34 million. We have yet to see how this will affect the case. In that same report it says Francis told TMZ his accounts total $100 million.

The trial is set for February 22nd.