Tulsa World: 'Girls Gone Wild' founder alleges torture while in Oklahoma jail

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'Girls Gone Wild' founder alleges torture while in Oklahoma jail

By Associated Press
Published: 11/23/2007 3:41 AM
Last Modified: 11/23/2007 3:41 AM

CHICKASHA -- The founder of the "Girls Gone Wild" franchise has accused Grady County jailers of going wild and torturing him during a brief stay at the facility.

Joe Francis is now jailed in Reno, Nev., where he awaits trial next year on a federal tax evasion charge.

Among other things, guards threatened to strap Francis naked to a chair for 48 hours while he was in custody there from May 17 to June 4, his attorneys alleged in a legal filing that's part of an effort to get him released on bail in a Florida case.

The attorneys declined a request from The Oklahoman to discuss their allegations.

Francis, 34, was held in Oklahoma for two weeks while being moved from a Florida jail to the Nevada facility. Grady County is paid to detain inmates for the Oklahoma City Federal Transfer Center when that facility is at capacity.

Grady County officials have denied the accusations.

"Mr. Francis was treated like every inmate that comes through the Grady County Law Enforcement Center," said Shane Wyatt, the Grady County jail administrator.

Francis has made millions of dollars with the "Girls Gone Wild" videos and DVDs, which feature predominantly college-age women exposing themselves, often during spring break. Sometimes, the women kiss or engage in sexual activities at the urging of cameramen.

His attorneys allege jailers in Oklahoma tortured Francis, including denying him needed medication and social visits.

The day he was supposed to be transported to Reno, Grady County guards made him dispose of his "commissary," or food, clothing, hygiene products, bedding and blankets, for the move.

"While waiting in line to be transported to a bus, one of the guards instructed him to step out of the line. He was told that he would be 'going nowhere' and ordered back to his cell. Francis had already given his entire commissary away and had no bedding or blankets. The commissary could not be replaced for days," his attorneys wrote in one legal filing.

"Mr. Francis again and again begged for a blanket," they wrote. "It was then that guards threatened to strip him and strap him naked to a chair, with only a hole for defecation, for 48 hours. ..."

Sheriff Kieran McMullen laughed at the accusations.

McMullen said there are special chairs available "in case somebody's trying to hurt themselves or something but I'm not familiar with him ever being threatened with that."

The jail administrator said Francis was never placed in a restraint chair.

Jailers did delay Francis' move to Reno after finding out his family had somehow been notified when he was to be moved, McMullen said.

"That's a security risk," McMullen said. "We don't tell anybody when a prisoner is going to be moved because if somebody knows, who knows what they could set up? ... The transport deputies came to me and told me about it and we pulled him."

The sheriff said federal inmates are not allowed to take commissary with them when they leave. The jail administrator said Francis was never denied a blanket although "we had to take one from him because he was given more than what is allowed."

Francis faces criminal charges of use of minors in a sexual performance and conspiracy to use minors in a sexual performance after two girls, then 17, were videotaped in 2003 in sex acts in a motel shower.

He denies wrongdoing, saying he cannot be held responsible because the girls lied to a cameraman about their age and because he wasn't in the bathroom at the time.

Francis had been free on bail in the 2003 criminal case, but a federal judge jailed him this year for contempt after he cursed during settlement talks involving a civil lawsuit.

His bail in the 2003 case was revoked because he allegedly took contraband with him into jail in Florida.

He remains in Nevada because he was indicted on a federal tax evasion charge in April, and would rather stay there than post bail and be sent back to custody in Florida. By Associated Press

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	Report Comment Johnny O, Tulsa (11/23/2007 6:34:10 AM) What a wuss! What an absolute wuss! Does he not see that he's showing the world what a prissy little girl he is?
	Report Comment JOHN KLINE, TULSA (11/23/2007 6:57:01 AM) "Mr. Francis was treated like every inmate that comes through the Grady County Law Enforcement Center," said Shane Wyatt, the Grady County jail administrator. So, was he mistreated or not?
	Report Comment Nikki Triplett, OKC (11/23/2007 7:55:44 AM) I would doubt mistreatment. Why would he "attack" a law enforcement center? He has more money than 99.9% of the folks there.
	Report Comment Chris, Tulsa (11/23/2007 8:22:52 AM) I don't doubt these accusations at all. Why would he make up these lies? People look down upon him because he made millions from porn. It's politically motivated. It's sad to see this man treated this way. He is being jailed at the expense of tax payers and the question is, did he commit a crime or attempt to harm anyone? Is he a threat to society? It all boils down to money.
	Report Comment Cindy Rellie, Dewey (11/23/2007 8:31:44 AM) I don't doubt the deputy's threatened and intimidated....that is what they do. There are cameras in most jails, his attorney should ask for the tapes. Maybe he could own Grady County to:)
	Report Comment B. V., Tulsa (11/23/2007 8:41:45 AM) I'm not aware, just as the jail administrator, of any wrongdoing during his incarceration. And I'm pretty sure no one reading this is aware, either. We weren't there during the alleged instances. But it doesn't mean it didn't happen. What would it take for jail officials to know AND acknowledge, publicly, something "cruel and unusual" is going on their jail? You know "catch them with their pants down." I believe something probably did happen and more power to Joe Francis for bringing this out. I can tell some of you have never been to jail or tried to report for wrongdoing, in any shape, fashion or form.
	Report Comment randall, (11/23/2007 8:50:24 AM) Count Jail administrator said that they"DO" have chairs like that. Well, how did Mr Francis know about the chairs, unless someone threatened him with it? Just thought I would point that out. Seams like the jail might have a problem.
	Report Comment curtis, (11/23/2007 9:04:16 AM) Maybe could make a video call Jailers Gone Wild!!!!!!!
	Report Comment kurt, (11/23/2007 9:09:52 AM) The man road on the edge with his videos and finally slipped up and was caught. Who knows what actually went on in the jail. The detention officers may have threatened him and with held his commisary items. The again, he may have spit on, verbally abused, urinated on guards or otherwise made himself a spectacle warranting a firmer hand. As usual with the press, every inmate is a victim and every jailer the villain.
	Report Comment lloyd k, binghamton, ny (11/23/2007 9:12:14 AM) we as americans should all be scared in the fact that the government can do anything it wants and when it wants. This man was convicted of a crime...and he wasn't even there! Are you kidding me?
	Report Comment Spyke, Hershey, PA (11/23/2007 9:13:06 AM) Maybe one of the jailers has a daughter who's on one of those tapes. Wait til he gets into GP with some guy whose daughter got filmed. Justice has a strange way of working itself out. All in all, I'd say his treatment sounds pretty mild so far.
	Report Comment Fed, Oxford (11/23/2007 9:13:13 AM) Considering what he did to his victims, its nice seeing the legal system working for a change.
	Report Comment Larry, Tulsa (11/23/2007 9:16:03 AM) It's about time someone with enough money is able to stand up and say something about the way they are treated in jail. Jail administrators do NOT believe in "innocent until proven guilty" when you are in thier custody. The intimindation factor is a daily thing. Medications are routinly denided. He was lucky the detention officers didn't steal his commissary items for themselves just to show "who's is charge now." Blankets are so small and worn out they do very little to help. Ask anyone that has been to a jail. Jail is a very unpleasant place to be (as it should be) but basic human rights shouldn't be thrown out the window. What Mr. Francis decribed what happened to him is normal day to day routine for Tulsa County Jail, and probably any other jail in Oklahoma.
	Report Comment Fed, Oxford, NC (11/23/2007 9:17:02 AM) Lloyd K, you are so right, we do not coddle our pornographers enough! Be very scared pornographers, your right to free exploitation is at risk. Shudder, shudder.
	Report Comment Fed, Oxford (11/23/2007 9:19:43 AM) Larry: if you don't like it, DON'T COMMIT A CRIME. How considerate of your victim's civil rights were you? Very simple and most Americans see the sanity in that. Sounds like we need to expand the Tulsa model. I'd love for jailbirds to finally see jail as something other than an extension of the welfare system.
	Report Comment Dave Malone, Palestine, Texas (11/23/2007 9:28:00 AM) Being a former corrections officer for a county jail in Ala, I can tell you there are some low-life's "sporting credentials", i.e. badges, who themseves should be on the other side of the bars. I'm no bleeding heart, I'm a decorated retired Army Master Sergeant who strongly believes "if you do the crime....... etc! However, Rest assured there are many correctional officers/jail guards, "ticked" because they can't pass a simple pych test required by most "weapon carrying" law enforcement agencies, ranging from city to federal levels, who reach for the lowest bastion of what they "need" to feel is a power trip, come hell or high water....screw the aforementioned test!
	Report Comment Whipsnard, Jupiter Island (11/23/2007 9:29:26 AM) As a rich bastard with college aged daughters, I believe sodomy for this sissy is in order. Don't you, parents?
	Report Comment peter Gardner, (11/23/2007 9:33:05 AM) In jail, the guards are in charge. I bet he mouthed off to them and they put him in his place. After all of the dirty money he made, he is getting a taste of real life. He ruined a lot of lives with his trash. He didn't realize thate one of them was his own.
	Report Comment Fed, Oxford, NC (11/23/2007 9:34:50 AM) Hey Keir, I guess your country would know something about being hated. Besides, even without his commissary, Mr Girls Getting Exploited lived better than 2/3rds of the world. I love how you all soil your panties over a predator's supposed mishandling. So tell us, Keir, how are your prisoners and unborn girls being treated today? Wanna bet on who would rather be transfered to Tulsa? If vile, crime-loving, dictophiles hate us, we're doing something right.
	Report Comment boogieOn, Orlando (11/23/2007 9:37:46 AM) For all the young women he took advantage of via their young age, lack of judgement and perhaps drunken state, and his inability to get his taxes paid correctly after making all that money -- this guy is getting what's coming to him. Enjoy the spectacle.
	Report Comment AGmines, Pittsburgh, PA (11/23/2007 9:37:53 AM) He has the money to investigate every Guard, Officer and the Warden in that Prison. He will find Inmates that can collaborate his allegations and more. If I was and employee or management of that Prison, I would be very, very, worried! Money can bring the truth out and their are Professionals for Hir that do just that from PI's to Lawyers, to former FBI and CIA. They have opened a can worms that will come back personally on them, if Francis so chooses.
	Report Comment Geoff, Ann Arbor (11/23/2007 9:45:42 AM) Keir, you're just a brainwashed machine clog whose sole role is to do what the Chinese government tells you to do. So you're not one to point fingers.
	Report Comment B. Taylor, Tulsa (11/23/2007 9:46:20 AM) Am I supposed to have great sympathy for all the whiners here who have been in jail and mistreated, especially a scum bag like Joe Francis? Here's a heads up for all the whiners. Change your behavior to something above a rabid animal which is about what it takes to go to prison these days and you don't have much to worry about.
	Report Comment Bubba, TN (11/23/2007 9:48:51 AM) Having been a resident of several county jails over the last 45 years, I have no doubt Francis told the truth. Seems sheriff's departments attract the worst kind of people who have to contain their sadistic tendencies on the local level. Occasionally, one of these psychos makes the big time and we hear about them. Writing off what happens to Joe Francis simply because he's a porn peddling creep isn't a good indicator of the "American way" either.
	Report Comment B. Taylor, Tulsa (11/23/2007 9:50:53 AM) Keir, Beijing Assuming you really are from Beijing, I love it when we Americans are lectured from the land of Tiananmen Square. China's human right's record is about one step above the Taliban - abysmal.

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