Joe Francis' Non-Apology: Comment About 'Mentally F***ing Retarded' Jury Was 'Taken Out Of Context'

"I deeply regret the remarks attributed to me in the interview with the Hollywood Reporter. They were hurtful and do not reflect my true feelings. While I disagree with the jury's verdict as I am completely innocent of the charges and intend to appeal, I was afforded a fair trial, and if I lose at the appellate level, I will reluctantly but fully accept the jury's verdict. This was a 6 hour interview with the Hollywood reporter where I detailed to the reporter all of the evidence and why I believed the evidence showed I am 100% innocent. The reporter also interviewed my attorney David Houston for over 3 hours, but failed to include one shred of evidence from the trial that proved beyond a reasonable doubt my innocence. I did NOT commit a crime at all whatsoever. All that was publicized were my most intemperate remarks that were borne out of frustration but with no intent to cause anyone harm. I am not, nor have I ever been a violent person. My comments are appalling, but anyone who has ever been wrongfully convicted of a crime that they did NOT commit would be as frustrated as I am. Just to think at all three of these girls were proven liars at the trial and all three claimed that they were "falsely imprisoned" somehow at an after party at my house in Bel Air with 20 other EYE witnesses who testified at the trial completely and totally in my defense. These same girls also claimed at the trial that they could not "escape" because they had no cell phone service. At the trial they were confronted with all of their cell phone records and over a 2 hour period they had made over 100 telephone calls and incoming and outgoing text messages to friends, family, and boyfriends and they ALL admitted that in not one text or telephone call did they ever claim that they were in ANY danger or "imprisoned". They only bragged about being at "Joe Francis Mansion" how "cool" it was. This is shocking to say the least. I want to apologize to all the jurors, the court, the City Attorney and my attorneys for my comments that were manipulated by the media, and please know I am truly ashamed of my comments and how they were taken out of context. I am truly, truly sorry. I hope everyone will understand I was not being serious and that I fully and deeply apologize for my remarks. And I ask for people's understanding if they were in my position."

It's a little bizarre to have someone looking into a camera and suggesting you be shot, even if he has no idea what I look like since he never showed up at the trial. If anything, it reaffirms the decision we came to — unanimously, of course, after only about a day and half of deliberations — as one of the charges was directly related to the vague (and no so vague) threats he made against the victim he assaulted to keep her from filing a police report. I'm just thinking about all the nice, salt-of-the-earth people on that jury that Joe Francis is suggesting be shot.