Girls Gone Wild scumbag pretends to have brain damage in court
Joe "Girls Gone Wild Dirtbag" Francis has a new tactic for resolving the lawsuits against him: he pretends not to understand common English words while farting loudly and attempting to video-record female court officials.
Q. Have you ever been convicted of a felony?Defendant Gone Wild
A. I don't understand what that means...Q. You don't understand what being a convicted felon is?
A. No. Can you explain it to me?
Q. Did you serve any time in jail?
A. What do you mean "serve"?...Q. Do you know what a prisoner is?
A. No.
Q. Do you know what a cellmate is in jail?
A. No.
Q. Do you know what a jail is?
A. Sort of.
Previously:
- Girls Gone Wild tycoon charged with tax evasion - Boing Boing
- "Girls Gone Wild" robbery: dastardly dildo dude Darnell guilty ...
- Boing Boing: Girls Gone Wild creator grilled on police record in court
- LAT's damning profile of Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis ...
- Boing Boing: Girls Gone Wild guilty in federal sex exploitation case
- Burning Man sues over Boobies-of-Burning-Man video - Boing Boing
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Wow, a bigger douche than Cheney. Who knew.
Doesn't he always act like that?
young women that Francis allegedly exploited by filming them allegedly going wild.
Well I certainly hope the courts can put an end to this speculation and make a definitive determination, once and for all, on whether these girls had, in fact, gone wild.
If the economy gets any worse, he can do Girls Gone Feral.
...or wait it right out for Girls Gone Post Apocalyptic Mutant Cannibal.
Hmmmm. I have an idea.
Well that's sad.
I guess we should take proper care of him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself or others. Lock him down and feed him thorazine.
He might not know at the moment, what a convicted felon is, but I hazard a guess he'll find out...
How can they tell the difference?
Antinous and Robulus for the win.
If I have learned anything from "Law and Order," when a defendant tries to pass for cognitively or psychologically damaged he gets examined by a court appointed doctor, who ought to be able to see through such a silly charade. Wouldn't he also have to provide medical records regarding the brain damage, since he wasn't always thus?
I just don't see it succeeding. Although, if it works, it will still be satisfactory if he is sentenced to a lockdown mental facility.
We all know this guy is a douche. Yet, he offers something that is in high demand. Why is he being prosecuted again?
Contempt of court was made for such childishness, surely.
A good friend of mine once spotted a "Girls Gone Wild" dvd on the table of a potential paramour. She left and never spoke to him again.
"Girls Gone Away"
I would LOL if the guy walks away from this -
... As for the GGW DVDs, if you flash it in public, too bad. Doesn't matter if it's a subway station or a pair of mammaries, the rule works both ways.
Again, (#12) had it right - unfortunately, there can nor should be a law against bad taste.
So what I'm taking away from this is that Joe Francis has never read, nor watched "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
Well this should be interesting.
Interesting. I am a HUGE fan of BoingBoing and am constantly delighted and amazed at the truly wonderful things we can find here. That being said, I also think Mr. Francis is a genius. Self-made multi-millionaire living the dream of cubicle dwellers everywhere.......dude made serious coin by basically giving away T-shirts!! You call him a scumbag....I disagree.
Man makes money off images of topless women, is a scumbag. (GGW)
Women make money off topless images of themselves, are artists. (suicide girls).
????
VJINTERKOSMOS @13, Getting people to agree to things while they're intoxicated and you're not, particularly things of a sexual nature, is scumbaggery. Yes, drunk people should have more self-control sometimes, but standing around waiting to take advantage of their bad judgment for cash and cheap thrills is not cool in my book.
MOJAVE those things aren't mutually exclusive.
I would say his legal history pretty well document him being a scumbag http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Francis#Legal_problems
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/34633
A so-called 'contract' made with a drunk person: where the sober one knew that the other was drunk at the time of the contract, there really is no legally-enforceable contract....should the drunk one repudiate it, once she's sober.
That's ancient Law: it's akin to 'contracts' made while a person is under physical duress or torture....a question of Justice, and the quality of the contractors' intentions.
Being drunk won't exempt you from criminal penalties...on a policy basis, criminal intent is inferred by Statute in those cases...but in civil law, in matters of intent, it does in both fact and law make a difference. Always has...but the 'sober one' must reasonably know that the other was drunk at the time of the contract, for him to be prevented by the Courts from enforcing on the contract.
A drunk is incapable of giving "consent" to anything. He who relies on a drunkard's promise is a fool.
Mojave,
Most of us don't hate him because he was behind a camera when drunk, suggestible teenagers wandered by.
Rather, it's stuff like this, and there's been much more along those lines since that story was written in 2006.
Long story short, I don't doubt for an instant he's mentally ill, but it's the kind that makes it more likely you'll go to jail, not less.
Francis doesn't just take advantage of drunk girls by videotaping them in situations they'd rather not publicize. He takes advantage of young women by having sex with them while they're still too drunk to stand.
Textbook scumbag, business sense notwithstanding.
@15 yep problem is he entices girls into privacy and coaxes unwilling sex out of them ... doc on UK tv some time ago, he's well known here. Scumbag.
Business sense ... obviously, this stuff sells to fratboys because it satisfies some fantasy or other. When you're the only person selling coke in the hood, you're gonna coin it. This isn't business sense. This is finding a niche at the bottom of the barrel.
In the UK, having sex with someone who is deemed too drunk to consent is considered rape, which an ex-colleague of mine found out to his shame and embarassment. He was a fool. It's a law I quite like.
There aren't many people I'd say this about, but when Joe Francis dies, it's going to make my day. He's a walking avatar of a whole lot of things I loathe.
Joe's an easy target, isn't he, BBers?
"Self-made multi-millionaire living the dream of cubicle dwellers everywhere [...]"
So the dream of cubicle dwellers is to exploit drunk women and make money marketing sleazy videos?
Remind me never to work in your office.
@20 That was a chilling article
@#25 Gloria...if you don't think the men you work with, assuming you work with men, are jealous of a guy who made millions and millions of dollars filming teenage girls in the nude,flying off to exotic places in his private jet, you are fooling yourself. Any man who tells you otherwise is lying.
@ 26 Mojave...
Not just filming them, but having them throw themselves at him, begging to be filmed. Begging to get naked.
It's hard to think that people have sunk to this level on all sides of the spectrum.
@19
This is backwards. Intoxication is a legal defense to some criminal matters (even voluntary intoxication).
Intoxication is not a defense to a contract. There are many defense be born from the state of intoxication. Duress and Undue Influence.
Always remember - you still have to pay your bar tap even though you were intoxicated.
There is a legal distinction between voluntary and involuntary intoxication - but that is more about false imprisonment and duress then actually being drunk when you agree to a contract.
Your welcome.
robot mistake.
Mojave, please read this article.
@ 28 Mad...
That article is what made her a prominent writer.
Sorry, Mojave, any *boy* perhaps, and *some* men, may be lying, but being Joe Francis, or anybody like him, ain't my fantasy at all. You are making a mistake projecting that all men are 20 yo fratboys inside.
Why's everyone picking on Joe? Sure, he's a pig, but the guy is a porn visionary, who is now suffering for his art. And he provides a timeless lesson for us all: when you are a porn visionary, pay your taxes!
Mojave #26:
I most certainly wouldn't trade my life for Francis', and that's no lie. Especially considering that the scumbag may end up serving time for rape.
Anonymous drunken boobage is fun for a spring break, but building a life around it strikes me as pretty depressing. I'll take a family that actually likes me, thank you very much.
Mojave, that's not my fantasy. You're obviously projecting your jealousy to make yourself feel better about being jealous of a scumbag.
Any man who tells you otherwise is lying.
Yes, Mojave. All men are really heterosexual. Being gay is just a lifestyle choice that we adopt to annoy our parents.
Attention knee-jerk "free speech activists": Next time read the article. This particular case is over a $2M gambling debt, not his rights to film naked people on the street.
He's also facing legal trouble for federal tax fraud, drug trafficking, and child porn (one the girls going wild was allegedly 13 at the time).
When did it become a given that all these girls are drunk, and drunk beyond all reason? So much of the points here rely on that single conjecture.
I hate to burst your world view, but some sober girls dfon't meet your perception of lady-like decorum.
@ Rtresco:
I'm sure not ALL the girls in the GGW were drunk beyond all reason, but if you've read any of the articles on the guy then you should know why Jay Francis has been accused of victimizing the inebriated (and helping many of them get that way).
victimizing the inebriated
How else is a homunculus going to get laid?
Not me, btw. The other one.
:D
mojave @ 30 - You do not have the grasp on your fellow man that you think you do.
Speak for yourself, and now that you have, yeah, your opinion of the situation is about as odious and lacking in empathy as much of the rest of what I've seen you advocate here.
I stopped watching Spike TV because all the car shows were studded with GGW commercials. After that I didn't watch satellite enough to make it worth the $50 per month, so I canceled it.
But if I'd pay to watch that court video.
Q: Do you know what waterboarding is?
A: Uh...
Q: NOW do you know what a prisoner is?
A: *gurgle*
Any man who tells you otherwise is lying.
I know I am only a lowly woman and that therefore my worth is mainly determined by how willing I am to show men my breasts while I'm still young and nubile, but I'm still pretty sure you don't speak for 50% of the world's population.
I second Antinous' derision, Mojave. Try to think before you talk.
Would I like to do the same thing, only substituting boys for girls? No. I find drunk teenagers of any gender depressing company at best, and having sex with a drunk person (an adult) extremely distasteful, even if I've been drinking myself (which I haven't in a long time, so the exploitation barrier goes up there too).
Somehow it never occurred to me that the Guys Gone Wild DVDs were from the same people; I thought they were just ripping off Girls Gone Wild. I've seen them advertised on Logo late at night; if this is the guy who runs the company and the way he runs it, per the article cited by semiotix (August 26, 2009 7:15 AM), then I thank my guardian spirits that I never gave in to the temptation to order them. Fruit of a poison tree and all that.
@30 Mojave:
Joe Frances' life sounds about as interesting and fun as being an out of control junkie. And I bet he has even less self esteem than the girls in his videos.
If anything I feel pity, not jealousy, for Joe.
Granted, I'm not a teenager anymore, but even as a teenager I knew there was more to aspire to in life than meaningless sex with drunk strangers and making more money than I need. And no, I'm not lying. :P
I want to hate this guy but I can't. I hate people like him but for some reason I can't hold a grudge.
Also, did you hear about the crazy guy who broke into his place and tied him up and filmed him? It was a few years ago. He stole some rare painting.
Someone on this "rock your baby to sleep" comments mentioned the difference in tone between Mojave's comments here and there. I came over here, and was highly amused by the contrast! Telling!
@30, at what price? Joe spends his life in court. He may well end up in prison. He's already been kidnapped and raped. I'm sure the high from heroin is really nice too, but from what I've seen, it's not worth the cost. So I'm no more jealous of Joe Francis than I am of a heroin addict.
Alright...that's it. What is this..."everyone Pile On Mojave Day" today!?!?! I am taking my keyboard and going home. You guys are a buncha meanies.
@ #40 Eli:
Which "free-speech activists" are defending him? Did you actually read any of the comments, or did you just assume that most of the comments on BoingBoing would be defending him on free speech grounds?
oh god, this guy makes me sick. Especially after reading the article #33 linked to. Scumbag is a great word to describe him (although he would certainly deserve something stronger)
If you limit Mojave's comments to the cross-section of 18-22 year old college guys who are the primary buyers of these films, yeah he probably IS living the dream for about 70% of them. I mean, we all know college guys only buy women alcohol out of the goodness of their hearts because they want them to enjoy the socializing at the parties more. And women of course all KNOW that there's absolutely NO ulterior motives behind all the free alcohol they're getting.
Actually, Mojave, if we all piled on you you'd KNOW not all of us are straight! (*bdumCHING!*)
*writes "deGauss me" in the dust on Mojave's monitor, then pats him on the back, leaving a "pile on me" sign stuck there*
Hold on, Anonymous:
From:
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Rescission+of+contract
Quote:
As a general rule, a contract cannot be rescinded because one of the parties was intoxicated at the time it was made. If, however, unfair advantage was taken of a person's intoxicated condition, or if the intoxication was induced by the party seeking to take advantage of the contract, the contract can be set aside on the ground of fraud. Similarly, habitual drunkenness that impairs a party's mental abilities can constitute a ground for rescission.
Now what did I say above?
And Mojave: some dreams turn out to be nightmares.
Oooh I see from Walter Billington that under British Law drunkenness vitiates any consent given to a sexual act: kind of fits with what I had to say about "drunkenness and contractual intent", eh?
Look to fairness, to see the path of Justice.
And you'll need some cites to convince me that the accused's drunkenness is an accepted defense in any Court, for any criminal act....because after all so much crime occurs because of alcohol...legalize marijuana!
Girls With Low Self Esteem meet drooling moron with camera.
No wonder I never paid a lot of attention to this. I have a perfectly good intelligence that doesn't need insulting, thanks.
Wait, Mohave! Don't forget your free T-shirt. The L.A. Times article is a must read to fully see what's happening to this man.
Didn't someone break into his house and like tie him up and rob him a few years back? or something to that effect? It'd be a sort of poetic justice the guy who was arrested for the crimes against Joe behaved in such a manor.
@#53 Anonymous
Thats hardly fair on Mojave. The good thing about posting under a pseudonym on BB is that you can let it all hang out. Certainly if you paw through my comment history you'll find some rather strikingly diverse points of view.
I'm happy Mojave wants to advocate good parenting, and if he also wants to admit he constantly secretly fantasises about chasing young drunk semi-naked girls around all night with a video camera, then... thats... very frank.
This American Life explains why pretending to be mentally ill as a defence is a terrible idea. (See Act 1)
Oh, yeah, Anonymous: where I come from, it is illegal for a bar (or liquor/beer store) to sell any alcohol to an intoxicated person... not that it's common for many bar tabs to end up in court!
In contrast, it seems ,to the gentleman here under discussion.
Also, anonymous, I really would like to know the story of ANY criminal charge dismissed solely because the accused was drunk at the time of the alleged offense...seriously. It'd probably be hilarious!
Things I'd like that J.Francis has
* the money to buy a private jet and fly exotic places, yes that would be quite nice.
Things I don't want that J.Francis has
* Highly intoxicated teenage girls surrounding me flashing their tits to random fuck heads with video cameras (maybe when I was 15 and the concept of seeing a nipple still was enough to excite me).
* Being tied down raped and robbed in my own house
* many lawsuits
* the guilt of knowing I've raped girls half my age.
The guy is an absolute piece of shit and I'm much more happy with my life then I would be with his.
I think it's a little presumptive and judgmental to attribute characteristics like 'low self esteem' to someone that has a lot to drink and does something silly one night.
You.. can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You say.. "Steve.. how can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes?"
First.. get a million dollars. Now.. you say, "Steve.. what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, 'You.. have never paid taxes'?" Two simple words. Two simple words in the English language: "I forgot!" How many times do we let ourselves get into terrible situations because we don't say "I forgot"?
Let's say you're on trial for armed robbery. You say to the judge, "I forgot armed robbery was illegal." Let's suppose he says back to you, "You have committed a foul crime. You have stolen hundreds and thousands of dollars from people at random, and you say, 'I forgot'?"
maybe he just can't get past the meaning of the word "is." Wouldn't be the first scumbag.
@ Stegodon #71: I think it's a little presumptive and judgmental to attribute characteristics like 'low self esteem' to someone that has a lot to drink and does something silly one night.
I can tell you're not a fan of Arrested Development. ;)
Stegodon:
I wasn't assuming anything like that. Google "girls with low self esteem" to get the reference. I figured BB would be at least once place where people would get the joke ;-)
#16: You think he reads?
I'd say he is using a Clinton defense, but perhaps "is" is too strong a word in that statement, depending on what the meaning of "is" is.
It took 63 comments for someone to make a "Girls with Low Self Esteem" reference? I feel I need to spread the Arrested Development gospel a little more.
"Lock him down and feed him thorazine..." Ah, good plan, and the best part is, we can keep him in there until he gets better.
@74 Haha I forgot about that! I might have to dig out the Arrested Development DVDs and reacquiant myself.