LOS ANGELES—A two-week jury trial has resulted in five misdemeanor convictions against Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis, who was found guilty yesterday of three counts of false imprisonment, one count of assault causing great bodily injury and one count of dissuading a witness. He now faces up to five years in jail for the incident that took place January 29, 2011, when he met three women at the Supper Club in Hollywood, where they had gone to celebrate a college graduation.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the women engaged in a brief conversation at the club with Francis. “At closing time,” the paper reported, “Francis grabbed one of the women by the hand and took her to his limo. The two other women followed, believing that Francis would give them a lift to their car.
“But during the ride,” it continued, “Francis' bodyguard and driver allegedly produced sheriff's badges, and did not allow the women to get out of the limo.
“The group was taken to Francis' gated home, where a physical altercation ensued between Francis and two of the women as he allegedly attempted to pull one of them away from the others, authorities said.”
Authorities further alleged that Francis “grabbed one of the women by the throat and hair and pushed and slammed her head into the tile floor four times,” and that the women were then “escorted out of the house and allegedly told a taxi would not be called and paid for if they called the police. Authorities said Francis threatened the women if they called police.”
Instead, the women called 911 from the taxi and were met by LAPD officers when they got back to their car. Following an investigation, the district attorney declined to press charges but referred the case to the city attorney, who did.
"Whether a celebrity or not, you will be held accountable for your misdeeds,” said City Attorney Carmen A. Trutanich. “The victims in this case should be commended for their couragestepping forward and reporting these attacks, and for not being intimidated from seeing thismatter through the justice system.”
A sentencing scheduling hearing has been set for tomorrow, May 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
