Repeated warnings from a federal judge that he is not doing himself any favors by acting as his own attorney has not stopped 'Girls Gone Wild' founder Joe Francis from trying to turn the proceedings into a farce. Judge Richard Smoak has threatened Francis with contempt, told him to shut up and suggested his antics are those of a 'reckless fool.'Francis is being sued in Panama City by four girls who were filmed by "Girls Gone Wild" film crews when they were underage.
The conflict between Judge Smoak and Francis came to a head when he began cross-examining the first witness in the trial, a 26-year-old woman known as "Plaintiff B." The woman described being invited to a motel room by the film crew, given an alcoholic beverage that she believed contained drugs, and blacking out.
Francis Ignores Judge's Warnings
In cross-examining the woman, Francis wanted to show the jury the video of the girl that his film crew made. Judge Smoak told him he could not introduce evidence during the plaintiff's case and warned Francis that he could have the jury hating him for the way he was cross-examining a victim of a sex crime.
"Mr. Francis, shut up. You're going to have the whole jury hating you," Smoak told him. "You're going to be a reckless fool."
Francis disagreed with the judge, loudly.
"They're going to hate her for lying to them for an hour and a half," he exclaimed. Francis ignored the judge's advice, questioning the witness aggressively.
The trial is expected to last until Friday.
See Also:
Joe Francis Draws Judge's Warnings
Background:
The Legal Troubles of Joe Francis
What Is Your Opinion?
Discuss The Joe Francis Case
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