A civil court jury in Eugene, Oregon rejected a woman's claim that Vila injured her in alleged incident of seat-kicking aboard airline flight in 1997. (May 2002).
He served as US Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama, 1969-1970. Graduate of Miami-Dade Jr. College and Univ. of Florida (BS journalism).
He has three children: Christopher (b. 1976), Monica (b. 1978) and Susannah (b. 1985).
He graduated from Miami Jackson Senior High School in 1962.