I previously have blogged actor Wesley Snipes’ indictment on tax fraud charges alleging that he sought $12 million in tax refunds and failed to file returns for six years (see links below the fold). The Smoking Gun provides a copy of Snipes’ motion to dismiss the indictment arguing that the indictment was "impermissibly brought on the basis of Mr. Snipes’ race" and should be "dismissed based on selective prosecution" on the ground that his two white codefendants, Douglas Rosile and Eddie Kahn, have not been charged with failure to file tax returns as Snipes has been. Joe Kristan eviscerates this argument:
Mr. Snipes is grasping at straws here. Rosile and Kahn are being prosecuted as the promoters of the tax evasion scheme — charges likely to lead to longer sentences — while Mr. Snipes is being prosecuted for using it. And considering how Mr. Kahn remains in custody as a flight risk while Mr. Snipes is free on bond, it’s not clear how the white guy is getting favored treatment.
Snipes also plays the victim card, claiming her was "a victim of unscrupulous tax advice," not a willing participant in a criminal conspiracy hatched by Rosile and Kahn. For more, see Associated Press, Russ Fox, and UPI. For prior TaxProf Blog coverage, see:
- Wesley Snipes Indicted on Tax Fraud Charges After Seeking $12 Million Tax Refund (10/17/06)
- NY Times on the Wesley Snipes Indictment (10/18/06)
- Wesley Snipes Update (10/22/06)
- Snipes Settles Tax Fraud Charges, Will Avoid Jail Time (11/3/06)
- Prosecutor: No Deal in Wesley Snipes Tax Fraud Case (11/4/06)
- More on Wesley Snipes’ Non-Settlement of Tax Fraud Charges (11/7/06)
- Actor Wesley Snipes Claims He’s "Scapegoat" in Tax Fraud Prosecution (11/22/06)
- Actor Wesley Snipes Turns Himself in on Tax Fraud Charges (12/8/06)
8 responses to “Actor Wesley Snipes Plays Race Card in Tax Fraud Case”
And we all dismissed OJ’s attempt to do the same things, until Johnnie L. Cochran swooned a jury of OJ’s “peers” into believing the same load of crock. As you may recall, it look the jury less time to find OJ not guilty than it did for the blood to drain from the lifeless bodies of his two victims.
So “eviscerate” all you want–when it’s time to race-monger in the courtroom, reason and justice will take a back seat to what is, in effect, an act of jury nullication.
ROUNDING UP WESLEY
Wesley Snipes, the actor facing tax evasion charges, asked the judge to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they…
ROUNDING UP WESLEY
Wesley Snipes, the actor facing tax evasion charges, asked the judge to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they…
ROUNDING UP WESLEY
Wesley Snipes, the actor facing tax evasion charges, asked the judge to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they…
ROUNDING UP WESLEY
Wesley Snipes, the actor facing tax evasion charges, asked the judge to dismiss the charges on the grounds that they…
Wesley Snipes Moves to Dismiss Tax Charges
Attorneys for Wesley Snipes filed a Motion to Dismiss the Indictment of tax charges, arguing selective prosecution. Prof Paul Caron at TaxProf Blog has links to the indictment and motion to dismiss, and also explains the history of this case.
Wesley Snipes was just greedy and stupid.
This race card you people continue to speculate on does not exist. Whenever the argument leads to a discussion of bias and utter hatred with respect to Black people in this country your attempt is always to turn the validate argument into a side show and dismiss the very serious nature of the problem in this country.
As a member of this group I can tell you in no uncertain terms I totally reject your attempt to marginalize and dismiss the vial racist underbelly of this country.
Yip, no doubt that this is a sad attempt to use race to get away from just prosecution.
Sad case, and he can’t take it like a man, but has to pull this crap.
Snipes not only did not pay the taxes that were due,,he tried to get back what he paid.
In the movies he is portrayed as an intelligent person. I guess it must all be an act ,because he certainly does not show it here. The IRS put Capone in jail does this clown think he can fool around with these people???