"Girls Gone Wild" Records Unsealed by Judge

(Panama City, Florida) Joseph Francis, producer of the Girls Gone Wild video series, was arrested last year on charges of racketeering and promoting the sexual performance of a child. Francis is out on bail awaiting trial. Search warrants and related documents in the case were sealed by order of Bay County Judge Thomas Welch because prosecutors stated they were part of an ongoing investigation.

In what is considered a "landmark decision," Circuit Judge Dedee Costello unsealed court records in the criminal case, becoming the first state judge to rule citizens have a constitutional right of access to served search warrants. Other judges disagree. For example, records remain sealed in the Kobe Bryant and Scott Peterson cases.

Interesting, however, if the case against Francis is negatively affected, it's not a good idea. Personally, I think records of an investigation should not be available to the public until the case is adjudicated.