Breaking News: Joe Francis Represents Himself and Wins in Federal Court

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Apr 07, 2011, 07:47 ET

LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- After eight days in trial, four of which Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis spent defending himself as his own attorney, a federal jury in a Panama City, Florida courtroom of eight women returned a verdict - and Joe Francis won!

Francis won the federal case against him, while the four plaintiffs - who sought to cripple the GGW Empire to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars - got nothing.

Francis proclaimed, "I am relieved that I have finally been vindicated from these slanderous, disgusting, and now proven false allegations in a federal court by a jury of eight respectful, conservative women."

The odds were definitely stacked against Francis, fighting for justice in the Panama City courthouse where he was previously jailed by the same judge for eleven and a half months, because he refused to settle a civil lawsuit brought against him.

After being reprimanded by the judge, threatened with jail time and being held in contempt, Francis - like a prizefighter - fought back at the last minute, hiring local attorney husband and wife team Gerard Virga and Rachel Seaton-Virga. "An absolute triumph," said Mr. Virga right after the verdict was read. "We came in halfway through the trial, behind the 8-ball and looking like the underdog, but within our system of law, Mr. Francis has been completely vindicated of these false allegations."

"My legal team did an outstanding job and Girls Gone Wild will continue to take strident measures to avoid facing these false allegations ever again," said Francis. "On behalf of myself and my corporations I would like to thank the jurors and the people of Panama City for their continued support."

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110407/LA79127)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090413/LA98232LOGO-b)

SOURCE GGW Direct LLC