Federal Judge Orders Girls Gone Wild Owner To Turn Over Tapes As Evidence
On Wednesday Panama City, Fla., federal judge Richard Smoak ordered “Girls Gone Wild” videos to be turned over so he could make a ruling. His ruling involves a lawsuit currently pending in which four girls claimed they were coerced into exposing themselves for GGW’s company, “Mantra Films Inc.” Joe Francis, who has been involved in several lawsuits in the past is the owner of Mantra.
Francis’s attorney, Rick Bateman, filed a motion stating the plaintiff’s claims are not recognized under Florida law. In his pleading he stated that the plaintiffs “voluntarily” exposed their breasts, and under Florida law the exposure of breasts does not constitute sexually explicit conduct.
Included in the complaint is a charge of prostitution, which has also been rebuffed as ridiculous by the defendant. “They may have been encouraged, but were not coerced, and no criminal charges have been filed against any of the defendants for coercing them into prostitution,” Bateman wrote. Judge Smoak is expected to rule in the coming weeks.
