PANAMA — In an email dated April 12th, jailed American producer Fred Salaff reports that his extended legal nightmare in Panama may be coming to an end, at last.“Our trial has been confirmed for 10am on April 27th, just 2 weeks away!” Salaff writes. “I am counting on all charges being dismissed and that I will receive a completely clean bill of legal health from the Government of Panama.”

Salaff also states in his email that he intends to “initiate slander suits against the various newspapers who libeled me.”

“In Panama there are… laws in favor of the injured party and there are rumblings already of who is going to be hit hard by my lawyers,” Salaff writes.

Salaff also indicates that a lawsuit against the Panamanian government is also possible, but “no one really knows if they will acknowledge willingly that they made a horrible mistake,” and pay accordingly.

“I have been told that it could happen,” Salaff writes, “but less likely than the newspapers paying up without going to court.”

Salaff was arrested on January 23rd, 2005, and he and his company, Rio Bueno, LTD, SA, were charged with coercing prostitutes to perform in his adult productions, failing to obtain and file the proper paperwork to film adult movies in Panama, and not taking proper measures to prevent minors from being exposed to sexual activity.

All charges except the one regarding the exposure of minors to sexual activity were dropped almost immediately following the arrest, and that claim is founded upon nothing other than the uncorroborated claims of neighborhood children that purport to have climbed trees at the house next door to the residence where Salaff was filming, for the expressed purpose of viewing the sexual activity in question.

Salaff is still seeking donations towards his legal fund and states that he “will be paying everyone back who helped me.”

“My lawyer is already clamoring for payment in happy anticipation of getting me ‘off the hook,’” Salaff writes.

To donate to Salaff’s cause, go to http://www.fredsalaff.com and click on the “Donate by PayPal” link.