Joe Francis ‘Retarded:’ Girls Gone Wild Founder Apologizes to Jury

Joe Francis “retarded:” Francis apologized for his comments after being convicted by a jury of unlawful imprisonment.
Joe Francis ‘Retarded:’ Girls Gone Wild Founder Apologizes to Jury
Zachary Stieber
5/23/2013
Updated:
7/18/2015

Joe Francis “retarded:” Francis apologized for his comments after being convicted by a jury of unlawful imprisonment.

Francis was found guilty of three counts of false imprisonment, over three students who were taken to his home and accused him of keeping them there against their will.

Francis told The Hollywood Reporter that each member of the jury “should be euthanized” for convicting him.

“You are the weakest members of the herd,” he said.

A juror who spoke with Gawker said that the comments by Francis “if anything, reaffirms the decision we came to.”

Francis never showed up at the trial, according to the juror.

Francis said on May 23 that he was wrong for his “appalling” remarks.

“I deeply regret the remarks attributed to me in the interview with the Hollywood Reporter,” he said in a statement. “They were hurtful and do not reflect my true feelings. While I disagree with the jury’s verdict as I am completely innocent of the charges and intend to appeal, I was afforded a fair trial, and if I lose at the appellate level, I will reluctantly but fully accept the jury’s verdict.”