FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PRESS CONTACT: MIKE SEILING mseiling08@gmail…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PRESS CONTACT: MIKE SEILING
mseiling08@gmail.com
(310) 751-4863


            FLORIDA JUDGE ACCUSED OF DIRTY DEAL
                 WITH FORMER LAW PARTNERS

Girls Gone Wild founder: "Panama City declared war on the Constitution"

August 19, 2008 (LOS ANGELES, CA) - Joe Francis, founder and CEO of
Mantra Films, Inc., filed suit today in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that a
federal judge worked in cahoots with opposing attorneys to extort a ransom for
Francis' release from a Panama City, Florida jail cell.

Today's filing grows out of a 2003 First Amendment battle Francis and his
company fought with Panama City officials. Mantra Films is best known for the
Girls Gone Wild lifestyle brand, an American pop culture phenomenon. In town to
produce a show about the wild antics of college coeds at Panama City's
traditional spring break debauch, Francis and his team were falsely accused of
illegal activity.

Court documents filed today allege a Bay County courthouse cabal imprisoned
Francis illegally through shady backroom deals stemming from a civil lawsuit filed
by several coeds who were filmed. Illegally imprisoned for almost a year without
bail, Francis was forced to pay presiding Judge Richard Smoak's former law
partners millions in ransom for his freedom.

Francis brings this legal action to set aside the settlement agreement coerced by
duress and the improper conduct of the women, their parents, and their
attorneys. Francis has also filed separate actions demanding over $300,000,000
million in damages for the illegal conduct of Bay County officials.

"Panama City officials began their persecution of Joe Francis with open
deception, continued with perjury, and concluded with illegal imprisonment," said
Robert E. Barnes, attorney for Francis. "That may be what counts for justice in
Panama City, but it's not American justice."
19AUG08
Joe Francis sues Panama City
Page 2


Francis sent an email to millions of supporters today to enlist them in this
important First Amendment battle. On a video message posted to his personal
Web site, www.MeetJoeFrancis.com he thanked his supporters and said: "We're
fighting back against judicial and government corruption. If this can happen to
me, it can happen to you."

About Mantra Films, Inc.

Mantra Films, Inc. develops and distributes lifestyle entertainment to audiences
worldwide through home video, television, live events, wireless, Internet, SVOD,
and Pay Per View distribution channels. The company is a leader in the direct
response marketing and membership segments and owns and operates its own
production facilities, call center and fulfillment operation. The company was
founded in 1997 and has four facilities in Los Angeles, headquartered in Santa
Monica.

About Bernhoft Law
Bernhoft Law is one of the nation's leading boutique law firms specializing in
complex litigation in federal criminal and civil courts, and international asset fraud
recovery. Robert Bernhoft and Robert Barnes of the firm obtained felony
acquittals for the actor Wesley Snipes. Mr. Bernhoft also previously obtained
acquittals on all felony counts for former IRS investigator Joe Banister (a trial
memorialized in Pulitzer Prize winning author David Cay Johnston's "Perfectly
Legal"). They are also known for their precedent-setting representation of
consumer advocate and presidential candidate Ralph Nader. Bernhoft Law has
offices    in   Milwaukee,       Wisconsin     and     Los     Angeles,     California.
(www.bernhoftlaw.com)


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