in case anybody was concerned
Girls Gone Wild Producers Win Landmark Federal Lawsuit
PR Newswire - December 02, 2002 13:39
Federal Judge Officially Dismisses Florida Case Setting New Precedent
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The producers of the Girls Gone Wild videotapes, Mantra Films, announced today that they have won a milestone federal court case in Florida. The federal court ruled Tuesday that Mantra Films did not violate the privacy rights of then 17-year-old Veronica Lane by using images of her exposing her breasts in the company's famous video series on a public street in Panama City Beach, Florida.
In the precedent setting 29-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Anne Conway rejected assertions by Lane that Mantra should pay her for using her likeness for commercial purposes. According to Judge Conway, "the Girls Gone Wild video is an expressive work created solely for entertainment purposes. [In these videos] Lane is never shown endorsing or promoting a product."
The court decision also found that Lane consented to the use of her image by exposing herself in exchange for beads and that her young age did not invalidate the consent. "Florida law has never recognized that a minor is incapable of consenting to publication of her image and likeness where no compensation is involved," according to the court.
Lane claimed she had been placed in a "false light" because her video had been marketed with Sexy Sorority Sweethearts, a title described by the judge as containing "even more extensive and offensive sexually explicit scenes." After reviewing both videos, the judge concluded there is "no suggestion, implication, or innuendo" connecting Lane with the other scenes.
Thomas R. Julin, attorney for Girls Gone Wild, said, "I expect the decision to bring to a halt other claims made against Girls Gone Wild. The Privacy Law does not protect people who choose to appear in public, clothed or otherwise."
Mantra Entertainment is the leading producer and distributor of reality-based programming worldwide. Mantra was formed in 1997 when Joe Francis recognized the opportunity to develop reality-based, direct-to-consumer video titles that did not fit the traditional mold of studio-distributed product. Over the past five years, the company has established its reputation by creating such key franchises as Banned From Television and the pop-culture phenomenon Girls Gone Wild.
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SOURCE Mantra Films
/NOTE TO EDITORS: B-roll tapes and interviews are available upon
request./
/CONTACT: media, Bill Horn, bhorn@bwr-la.com, or Steven Wilson,
swilson@bwr-la.com, both of B|W|R PR, +1-310-550-7776, for Mantra Films/
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