Snipes sentenced to three years

[Nibb]

Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes has received a three year prison sentence for tax offences.

A federal judge handed down the maximum term requested by prosecutors - one year for each of Snipes' convictions of wilfully failing to file a tax return.

Snipes' lawyers had called for leniency, arguing that the offences were misdemeanours and that the star was of good character.

But prosecutors said an example should be set because of Snipes' fame.


Wesley Snipes appeared in White Men Can't Jump and the Blade trilogy

In February, Snipes was found guilty of deliberately failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001, but was cleared of more serious fraud and conspiracy charges.

'Serious crimes'

United States District Judge William Terrell Hodges said the action star had shown a "history of contempt over a period of time" for US tax laws.

"In my mind these are serious crimes, albeit misdemeanours", he said.

Snipes apologised, saying: "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance."

The star of films such as "Blade 3" and "Demolition Man" had asked for probation instead of imprisonment.

Fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington sent letters as character witnesses, as did family, friends and employees.

The actor's first role was in Goldie Hawn's 1986 American football comedy Wildcats, and he has also appeared in hit films such as White Men Can't Jump, and Passenger 57.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7366211.stm

Wesley Snipes - Hollywood's Lester Piggott!

[BertRoot]

I knew they would make an example of him but am still surprised.

[burner1]

You'd have to kill a family to get 3 years over here.

[Nibb]

It seems that Tax evasion is a more heinous crime that paedophilia!

[Mule]

FFS, money means far too much to the American justice system

[rIKmAN]

Wow, that shocked the shit outta me, didnt know anything about this!

Wtf, 3yrs for tax evasion, he`s hardly "evading" anyone he`s a fucking movie star in the public eye, and I`m sure he would be willing to pay it.
I know thats not the point, but 3yrs - come on!!

Nibbs right, paedos get treated better than this!

Still looking forward to his new films from the inside: Get The Soap Trilogy

[Mule]

Wait a minute, that's not Snipes, that's Alvin Hall! Damn Celebs always find a way out of their punishment...

Spoiler:

[DB]

He'll be the daddy on B wing no problem

[inspectercoley]

Ace, everything is getting in place for him to be cryo-genically frozen and brought back super hard ass in the future when Arnie is president to kick Stallone's ass.

[super mike]

FFS, money means far too much to the American justice system

As does fame. Shouldn't swing it either way.

[flumperino]

I agree that the fact that he's famous shouldn't affect his sentence - as we often see that famous people get off with lighter sentences.

But the reverse is true as well - he's been given the maximum sentence, as he's being made an example of due to his fame. It is unlikely that someone non-famous would get this amount of jail-time for the same crime.

The justice system really annoys me, when it allows different people be given massively different sentences for the same crime. It's all well and good that people be 'made an example of' to discourage others from committing crime....but that's not very fair to the person receiving the example.

I read a similar story a couple of years back, where a headmistress was caught leaking exam results, presumably to increase her school's pass stats. A terrible thing to do obviously, but she was 'made an example of' and given a hefty jail sentence for it. For giving out exam answers ffs!

Of course, all this happens at the same time that drink drivers and murderers get off with 6-month or suspended sentences.

[B B Leo]

if we have to pay are tax then so to feck should he

[Thrush]

I'm still surprised that they don't take him straight away, it was the same with Conrad Black.

"Ok we've booked you in for a 3pm slot at san quentin state penitentiary on Friday the 2nd of May, please turn up then Mr. Snipes"

Do normal people get the pleasure of choosing when to turn up for prison?

Jack Bower a.k.a. Kiefer Sutherland "I can't do my bird now Judge, I'm still filming 24!"
"Oh alright then, when do you fancy doing it?"

[MsDG]

I don't know why people are shocked about this... America has always stung people for Tax evasion. FFS they couldn't get Al Capone for 1000's of crimes (including killing many people) but they did get him for Tax evasion!

Does This sound familiar....

"Al Capone was found guilty on five of 22 counts of tax evasion for the years 1925, 1926, and 1927, and willful failure to file tax returns for 1928 and 1929[citation needed]. Capone's legal team offered to pay all outstanding tax and interest and told their client to expect a severe fine. The judge sentenced him to eleven years in a federal prison and one year in the county jail, as well as an earlier six-month contempt of court sentence;[17] he ultimately served only six and a half years because of good behavior in prison.[18] He also had to pay fines and court costs totalling $80,000."

[evilsatan]

I don't know why people are shocked about this... America has always stung people for Tax evasion. FFS they couldn't get Al Capone for 1000's of crimes (including killing many people) but they did get him for Tax evasion!

Does This sound familiar....

"Al Capone was found guilty on five of 22 counts of tax evasion for the years 1925, 1926, and 1927, and willful failure to file tax returns for 1928 and 1929[citation needed]. Capone's legal team offered to pay all outstanding tax and interest and told their client to expect a severe fine. The judge sentenced him to eleven years in a federal prison and one year in the county jail, as well as an earlier six-month contempt of court sentence;[17] he ultimately served only six and a half years because of good behavior in prison.[18] He also had to pay fines and court costs totalling $80,000."

Although it is against what the justice system *apparently* stands for don't you think Al Capone might have been given such a hefty sentence because of his other wrong doings that couldn't be proven in a court?

As for snipes, 3 years is harsh, but making a statement like "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance." is fucking stupid. The world is full of poor idiots who manage to file their tax returns just fine, you are rich, if you are that dumb you hire an accountant.

[Nikki]

He should have paid his way