Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis was sentenced to 270 days in jail and three years’ probation in connection to a 2011 incident involving three women at his Los Angeles home.
In January of 2011, Francis met three women, at a college graduation party at the Supper Club in Hollywood. Believing they would be taken to their cars, the women wound up in a gated area of his Bel Air home, says USA TODAY.
Apparently, Francis fancied one of the women and while trying to lead her away her friend pulled her back.
According to Deputy City Attorney Mitchell Fox, Francis then “jumped on the friend, took her to the ground, choked her, slammed her head against the ground, dragged her across the ground, and when she got back up, did it several more times.”
Fox added that Francis told the girls to “go ahead and call the police,” that he “owns the police,” and that he wouldn’t be arrested.
Francis’ attorney Steve Levine told USA TODAY “key details of the case were proven to be false in court, and he is appealing the decision.”
“Joe has always maintained his innocence,” and said that the judge “still came to a very fair and measured decision,” says Levine.
Francis has been convicted of of five misdemeanor charges – three counts of false imprisonment, one count of assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury, and one count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. He will still be behind bars for 270 days, serve three years probation and is required to complete an anger management course and 52 sessions of psychological counseling ordered by Superior Court Judge Nancy L. Newman.
Wonder if Joe still thinks he “owns the police?”
Francis maintains his innocence, calling the sentence “ridiculous” and vows to TMZ that he will not go to jail.