Poetic Judges Tosses Penthouse Paula Suit

A U S T I N, Texas, Dec. 20, 2000 -- A Texas prisoner suedPenthouse magazine for publishing what he said was adisappointing layout of Paula Jones, but a judge dismissed thelawsuit with a Christmas poem, a court clerk said today.

The lawsuit charged that the December pictorial of Jones,who came to fame when she filed a sexual harassment suit against President Clinton, was not sufficiently revealing and caused plaintiff DavidJoyner to be “very mentally hurt and angered.” It sought$500,000 in damages.

Joyner, who is serving 14 years for robbery and assault,wrote the lawsuit, in which he identified himself as the“Minister of Law of the Mandingo Warriors” prison gang.

’Twas Not Worth the Trouble

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks dismissed the suit with a 12-linepoem and a $250 fine against Joyner for filing a frivolouslegal motion.

The poem read in part:

“’Twas the night before Christmas andall through the prison Inmates were planning their new pornomission. … The minute his Penthouse issue arrived, The Ministerripped it open to see what was inside. But what to hiswondering eyes should appear — Not Paula Jones’ promisedprivates, but only her rear. Life has its disappointments. Some come out of the blue but that doesn’t mean a prisoner should sue.”