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Joe Francis Files Suit Over Fla. 'Girls Gone Wild' Case

By: David Sullivan

Posted: 08/19/2008

LOS ANGELES - 'Girls Gone Wild' founder Joe Francis filed suit today in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking to void his settlement in the Florida civil case that landed him in jail.

"We’re fighting back against judicial and government corruption," Francis said in a video message to his supporters. "If this can happen to me, it can happen to you."

The case stems from a 2003 'Girls Gone Wild' Spring Break shoot in Panama City, Fla. Seven local underage girls who posed for 'Girls Gone Wild' cameras during the event sued Francis and his company Mantra Films, demanding millions in damages. Francis maintains the girls tricked his crew into videotaping them.

While Francis' lawsuit names the parents of six of the girls as defendants, his real targets are the federal judge, lawyers and county officials involved in his Panama City ordeal. Francis claims Judge Richard Smoak conspired with the girls' attorneys to illegally imprison him and extort millions from his company. 

Smoak threw Francis in jail for criminal contempt during mediation in the civil suit. After spending 11 months in the clink, the T & A mogul pleaded no contest to child abuse, prostitution and other criminal charges in order to facilitate his release in March. 

Francis now says he was coerced into the no-contest plea. He is separately seeking $300 million in damages for alleged civil rights violations.

"Panama City officials began their persecution of Joe Francis with open deception, continued with perjury, and concluded with illegal imprisonment," said Francis' attorney, Robert E. Barnes. "That may be what counts for justice in Panama City, but it’s not American justice." 

Further details on Francis' case are available on his website www.MeetJoeFrancis.com.