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Las Vegas casino developer Steve Wynn met with Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Sunday to discuss the potential for developing a hotel-casino project on undeveloped land adjacent to the team’s suburban Boston sports complex.
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 | 5:58 p.m.
Joe Francis, producer of the "Girls Gone Wild" franchise
A jury doubled its verdict against "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis on Tuesday, ordering him to pay an additional $20 million in punitive damages to Steve Wynn for claiming the casino mogul threatened to kill him.
The decision came one day after the same nine men and three women awarded Wynn $20 million after determining that Francis' allegations slandered the designer of upscale casinos. Francis plans to appeal the verdicts.
The panel followed the suggestion of Wynn's attorney, Barry Langberg, who asked jurors to double their initial verdict, which was intended to compensate Wynn for damage to his reputation and casino empire.
In a statement released after Tuesday's verdict, Wynn called Francis a "digital assassin" and urged people to think before they post things online or speak ill of others.
"Thank God for the justice system that finally sent a message: If you think you're taking a cheap shot, it may be a lot more expensive than you had imagined," Wynn said.
Francis' attorney, Aaron Aftergood, argued that Wynn's side hadn't shown any evidence about his client's finances and they shouldn't deliver another large judgment. Francis did not provide financial records to Wynn's attorney, so estimates of his wealth were not presented to jurors.
Francis claimed record producer Quincy Jones told him that Wynn threatened to hit him in the back of the head with a shovel and have him buried in the desert amid a dispute over a gambling debt, but the Grammy winner testified no such statements were made.
"Today, I am incredibly disappointed the jury grossly misinterpreted the facts presented in the courtroom," Francis wrote in a statement. "I still maintain that my life was endangered and I plan on appealing this verdict. One day the public will see that I am the real victim here and not Steve Wynn."
Wynn is the CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd. and designed Las Vegas casinos such as the Mirage, Bellagio, Wynn and Encore.
He blasted Francis is his statement, saying the man who made millions by marketing videos featuring young women flashing their breasts is an "unbelievably reckless human being."
"His actions present a new challenge to society created by technology and the instantaneous news cycle," Wynn wrote. "The inflammatory information goes up instantly and stays forever, unchallenged and unproven, to the misery and detriment of any citizen that is a victim."
Langberg said he expects the massive judgment against Francis will persuade other attorneys to take similar cases.
Aftergood said he intends to file a motion for a new trial on the grounds that jurors were allowed to consider statements Francis made to a "Good Morning America" crew, but the panel was never shown the interview and heard little testimony about it. A judge allowed Wynn's attorneys to add the interview to the case after testimony had concluded and before jury deliberations began.
Jurors awarded Wynn $22 million for the interview comments.
Wynn has said he intends to donate the damages he received from the trial to charities.
With world-class dining, shopping, spas, golf and entertainment, there's no shortage of things to do at Wynn. The resort’s aquatic acrobatic show, “Le Reve—The Dream,” a creation by Cirque Du Soleil veteran Franco Dragone and Steve Wynn, will leave guests wanting more with its breathtaking performances that conjure an imaginary world. The Wynn Esplanade offers a unique shopping experience with stores including Chanel, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Dior, Oscar de la Renta and many more. Tryst is its signature nightclub, offering a secluded lagoon inside the club and spacious dance floor. Blush, the Wynn’s ultra lounge, draws swanky party-goers. Tryst, Wynn’s signature nightclub, is situated along a private lagoon under a 90-foot waterfall and plays host to some of the world’s most renown DJs.
So much for the First Amendment.
I am not defending this bozo Francis but the game has changed. Wynn says so himself. Would Wynn advocate we return to the days of gatekeepers? i.e the major news media? Return to the days where everything has to go by lawyers first? that is what Wynn is really saying.
I think these lawsuits the last few years are little more than attacks on our Constitution and calls for censorship. Francis is no angel but was Wynn really damaged? I doubt it. Wynn must come to terms with the fact things have changed and running into court every time to answer some critic is a drain on taxpayers and frankly NOT professional. Sheldon Adelson does the same thing. These are public figures expect some heat.
I don't think I am saying anything Steve's own friends would tell him, let it go.
At the heart of this whole matter is the debt. Francis lost gambling and didn't want to pay the debt. I'm still dumbfounded how there can be any question about the debt. You play a hand of blackjack, you lose $5. YOU'VE LOST $5 DOLLARS!!
Where is the misunderstanding? If Wynn is in the business to forgive some debt for high rollers, then where is that claim from Francis.
Wynn wants his money. I don't blame him. Franicis is a welcher and a liar. A two time loser.
Charity is great, but hey, Mr. Wynn, if you collect anything from Francis how about also giving some of it back to your other players in comps? Just sayin'....
He's giving the money to charity and not some degenerate gamblers. Just sayin'...
Wynn is clearly correct in this situation. Francis gambled & lost & then slandered Wynn & Wynn's company. As a publicly traded company-Wynn has a duty to both his stockholders & himself to protect the company & the companies image-which is exactly what he did. Francis thought he could weasel out of paying his marker-but that's not gonna happen.
"...unbelievably reckless human being."
"Thank God for the justice system that finally sent a message: If you think you're taking a cheap shot, it may be a lot more expensive than you had imagined," Wynn said."
Although I hate agreeing with a billionaire -- they tend to not even live on the same planet the rest of us are doomed to -- Wynn's first quote summed up this punk in too-kind, PC terms.
The second quote is another matter entirely. This "just us" system he gushed about is now pretty much available only to the rich. Ordinary people go broke long before trial. And people who can't afford the big filing fees courts now demand, let alone an attorney's retainer, find the courthouse doors firmly shut in their faces.
So on to the byzantine process of appeals, which will take years, and make the attorneys even richer.
"So much for the First Amendment."
stephenrblv -- doesn't cover clear slander and libel, which is what it seems Francis did.
"If you want to dramatize the evils of prostitution, corrupt a virgin, not a whore." -- Blake Edwards, director and screenwriter (1981)
A rough read says this at best is third hand slander based on comments made by Quincy Jones. If this applies at all since Wynn is hardly a private person and the comments are not something the average Vegas visitor would find shocking in the least about a Casino Operator. The comments are nothing more than Vegas Mythology backed up by 100 yrs of bad Hollywood movies. "Bury him in the desert", come-on as common a statement as "loose slots".
I think this case like many of late show what happens when power concentrates. I am frankly amazed at how public they have made these issues of late. So much for protecting your players privacy. Instead of the desert they rake one thru the Press now.
from the Movie "Casino"
"A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all f*ckin' night."