Reporter may testify in Girls Gone Wild case

[KevinG]

Circuit Judge Dedee Costello took the first step Monday in bringing ABC “Nightline” reporter Martin Bashir closer to testifying about whether State Attorney Steve Meadows showed him child pornography last year during an interview. Costello signed an order to compel Bashir’s testimony through the Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from Without a State in Criminal Proceedings, since a Florida subpoena carries no weight outside the state. Bashir lives in New York. Bashir interviewed Meadows for a story on “Girls Gone Wild” founder Joe Francis that aired late last year. During the broadcast, Meadows and Bashir are seen in Meadows’ office apparently watching a videotape. Audio from the “shower scene” video that was once the center of the evidence against Francis is heard during this segment. The shower scene is video of two 17-year-old girls engaged in sexual activity in a Panama City Beach motel room shower from Spring Break 2003. Francis, 34, is charged with two counts each of using and conspiring to use minors in a sexual performance because of this incident.

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/article/11687

[EmporerEJ]

Chasing reporters because they do your job better than you do......
Now that's a novel concept.....

So much for one more shredding of our constitution....

[KevinG]

There's lots of things going on with the Joe Francis case, Vic.

There's tax evasion and "child porn" where two 17 year olds lied that they are 18.

Yes, it was stupid to not do the right job in checking IDs, but 17 is sure different than 9, 10, or 11 ... or younger. Technically, against the law ... just like the infamous Traci Lords.

I think there should be some penalty for bitches that lie about their age and then cry foul.

Anyway, I didn't really want to start a debate about that, but it's probably too late now.

What is really curious with the news article I posted is I don't really have a clue what this is about.

Meaning, what is the judge up to with this?

He is making a reporter testify as to what the state attorney showed him .. like did he show him what is technically CP?

Is the attorney going to be brought up on CP charges?

[EmporerEJ]

There's lots of things going on with the Joe Francis case, Vic.

There's tax evasion and "child porn" where two 17 year olds lied that they are 18.

Yes, it was stupid to not do the right job in checking IDs, but 17 is sure different than 9, 10, or 11 ... or younger. Technically, against the law ... just like the infamous Traci Lords.

I think there should be some penalty for bitches that lie about their age and then cry foul.

Anyway, I didn't really want to start a debate about that, but it's probably too late now.

What is really curious with the news article I posted is I don't really have a clue what this is about.

Meaning, what is the judge up to with this?

He is making a reporter testify as to what the state attorney showed him .. like did he show him what is technically CP?

Is the attorney going to be brought up on CP charges?


You "jumped the shark" on your Traci comparison.....

1st of all, shots taken at ANY age in public, teeter on the fuzzy line of "news reporting" or commercial venture. And while we all know damn well Joe is a commercial enterprise, garnering less constitutional protection (however that is rationalized) there would still be a "presumption of innocence" argument there.
Lest, as you note, we completely ignore this underage child, which is apparently outside the control of the parent? By several states perhaps? Where is the parent? Where is THERE punishment for their minor child creating a public nuisance and their tacit endorsement of child porn?

And then, let's add insult to injury....bring suit against the guy that was standing there photographing it?

As for Traci, it's not a fair comparison. This bitch had photo ID showing a valid age, a mother that swore she was of age, and eagerly participated. Then, used the system to vault herself into lucrative acting gigs on the "poor me, destroyed by the evil industry." And the talent agency guy goes to jail?
PLEASE.

Where was the fraud charge against her, against the mother? Where was the promoting child pornography, pandering, etc against the mother?
No, of course not, she's a victim too........


Yes, I would like to know what the judges motivation/goal is here?