Snipes guilty of some charges

OCALA - A federal jury today today acquitted actor Wesley Snipes of the major charges against him but  found him guilty of three lesser charges involving failure to file tax returns. He faces up to three years in prison.

After nearly three full days of deliberations, jurors found Snipes guilty on three misdemeanor charges of willful failure to file income tax returns. Jurors acquitted Snipes on three other misdemeanor charges of failure to file tax returns and also found him not guilty on a felony charges of conspiracy and filing a false claim with the Internal Revenue Service.

Co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile were found guilty of one count each of conspiracy and filing a false claim with the IRS. The felony convictions for Kahn and Rosile carry maximum five-year sentences on each count. No sentencing date has been set.

Jurors told the judge about 3:30 p.m. that they had a verdict. Snipes sat motionless as Senior U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges published the verdicts. Snipes' defense attorney Robert Bernhoft placed his hand on Snipes as the verdicts were announced.

During the nearly two-week trial, prosecutors accused Snipes and his co-defendants of filing false returns with the IRS asking for refunds.

-- Kevin Graham, Times staff writer

Comments

[Dave Orlando, FL]

Interesting! I've been following this case (vie news reports)and heard his views on taxation- I was almost sure he would have been found guilty on all counts. I guess the media hyped this up more than it really was? Congrats to him I suppose. Will he have to pay back some of the millions he received in tax returns?

[Terri]

I wonder if some non movie star would have gotten the same chance. Three years, and I will assume that it will be probation with restiution to the IRS. We shall see.....

[Jimmy Mack]

From what I observed while following the case, this was a just verdict. He clearly did not file his returns, regardless of his views on taxation. I don't think it met the standard for conspiracy, but he must pay some penalty, as we all do. His penalty will just come with added interest.

[Kim]

I think if he were not a movie star, they would not have charged him at all. Many people fail to file tax returns and most of them are never prosecuted.

He got off easy. Nobody, escapes the grip of the tax law. Believe me, all angles have been tried.

[Bob]

Celebrity justice!

[Alan]

Kim,
If he were not a movie star he would not have earned the millions of dollars, that he was trying to avoid paying taxes on.
I wonder if he will apologize to the citizens of Ocala for his remarks concerning his ability to get a fair trial because they were racist.

[Duane]

All the IRS wanted was for him to pay his taxes anyway. Why put this goofball in prison and make taxpayers pay for his food and lodging. Now, if the IRS doesnt get their cash, they can start slapping liens and garnishing wages on Snipes. What an egotistical fool.

[Steve]

Time to abolish the income tax.

[Newzaroo]

I want me some of that black injustice.

[dionysis]

So much for the "Hotbed of KKK activity". Will he now apologize for his disparagement of Ocalans? Marion County jail is quite an awful place. One of the worst in the nation. I knew a guy that did consecutive 11/29s there, he still aint the same as before. Prison is better.

[gary]

What's wrong with them white people in Ocala.WESLEY what say you.

[pancho]

The verdict has nothing to do with his celebrity status. Please see the documentary, "America From Freedom to Fascism," which is available online (at least it used to be). Many people are acquitted of tax evasion; you don't know because the media never cover their trials because they don't want people to know that there is no income tax law. Republican Presidential candidate, Ron Paul, has said that two of his goals as President would be to abolish the Federal Reserve Board and the income tax.

[dave]

The govt should have agreed to a severance. In its case in chief they put on testimony regarding how Kahn's practice was to time and time again mislead his clients in order to get business. So on one hand they were saying that Kahn misled everyone but then tried to prove that Snipes was in on it. non sequitur. Snipes can thank the govt for the acquittal

[BOB]

Hows the back woods Justice you got off easy ... now there will be time for you to soak up some florida air at the coleman federal prison for three years its just outside ocala have fun tax evasion doesnt pay

[BOB]

dionysis he will be doing federal time not state time so he will go to leven worth kansas,, the classification facility for federal inmates then will be sent to a federal facility... to bad he didnt get sent to raiford or starke they are lovely accomidations for inmates

[dave]

BOB, you have no idea what you are talking about. Coleman is a federal pen, and Snipes isnt going to do any time