Actor Wesley Snipes ordered to begin three-year prison term

[News_Editor]

Actor Wesley Snipes ordered to begin three-year prison term

2010-11-20 03:37:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

OCALA, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) -- Actor Wesley Snipes on Friday was ordered to surrender to authorities to begin his 3-year sentence in prison after being found guilty of tax evasion in 2008.

The Blade trilogy actor was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty in April 2008 on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file federal income tax returns.

U.S. District Court Judge William Terrell Hodges denied a motion regarding a new trial that Snipes' lawyers requested after claiming that the actor's trial was damaged after prosecutors hid key information of a witness.

Snipes claims that the government failed to disclose that his former accountant Kenneth Starr was under investigation for engaging in criminal activities of conspiring to evade income taxes with another client.

Starr gave a key testimony during Snipes' trial which was fundamental for the jury finding the actor guilty. The accountant pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud, investment fraud, and money laundering last month. Starr faces 45 years in prison for allegedly stealing between $20 to $50 million from his clients.

In addition, Snipes' lawyers also argued that there was jury misconduct during trial and they have evidence to prove it. The lawyers added that emails prove that three jurors told the rest that the actor was guilty before they even heard the first piece of evidence.

The actor has repeatedly mentioned that he will not go to jail as his trial was unfair. He appealed his sentence in repeated occasions and requested a new trial with no avail. He had been free on bond throughout the appeal process.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-11-20

[TAWP]

Kenneth Starr, New York accountant, not to be confused with Kenneth Starr, the lawyer made famous over the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal.

[Carib]

It is a celebrity, I wouldn't want to bet that he will stay inside for three years. Justice is not the same for all in the states as has been proved over and over again.

[Goshawk]

Wesley Snipes on Friday was ordered to surrender to authorities to begin his 3-year sentence in prison

this clip must have been sent from heaven... ("..gonna lock you up, before too long")

bad boy Wesley...

[Starlifter]

In unrelated news Charlie Rangle, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the past 1,ooo years and chairs the committee righting the tax code that Snipes was convicted of, was basically found guilty of cheating the same system and will be given a "censure in front of his straight as an arrow" collages. No jail time get to keep his pension, medical bennys and all. At least he (Wrangle) could do is help a fellow brother out.

I Know a lot of PP but hey....

Edited November 20, 2010 by Starlifter

[joe84330]

It is a celebrity, I wouldn't want to bet that he will stay inside for three years. Justice is not the same for all in the states as has been proved over and over again.

not many people spend an entire sentence behind bars. the key difference here is that he was convicted of fraud and quite lucky that it was not a charge of tax fraud as originally planned based on his fraudulent "tax protester" federal tax returns.

anyone and everyone from 4th generation welfare recipients to the president have been looting the treasury forever but the hammer will come down when the issue of tax fraud is on the docket.