Judge Refuses To Delay Snipes' Tax Trial

Actor Wesley Snipes Charged With Fraudulently Claiming Refunds Of Nearly $12M

(AP)  Actor Wesley Snipes, who was indicted on tax evasion charges, is learning the hard way that even celebrities must pay their dues.

A judge has refused to postpone actor Wesley Snipes' tax evasion trial after his newly appointed attorneys asked for extra time to allow them to prepare.

Snipes' new lead attorney, Robert G. Bernhoft, wrote in a three-page emergency motion that the actor was concerned about whether his former attorney, Daniel Meachum, would be physically well enough to take an active role in his Oct. 22 trial.

According to the motion, Snipes also felt that lead trial attorney William R. Martin had not prepared adequately.

Senior Judge Terrell Hodges on Wednesday rejected the reasons given in the motion.

"This series of events would lead any reasonable person to suspect that the defendant's dismissal of able counsel is nothing more than a ploy designed to force a continuance of the trial," Hodges said. "In any event, it will not have that effect."

An October 2006 federal indictment charges Snipes with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 for income taxes already paid. The star of the "Blade" trilogy and other films also was charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004.

The indictment said Snipes conspired with American Rights Litigators' founder Eddie Ray Kahn and tax preparer Douglas P. Rosile Sr. to file false refund claims based on a bogus argument that only income from foreign sources was subject to taxation.

The indictment said Kahn and Rosile, through American Rights Litigators, collected fees of up to 20 percent of refunds from fraudulent tax returns.

A telephone message left by The Associated Press with Bernhoft's office was not immediately returned. A telephone listing for American Rights Litigators could not be located.

[keithle1]

What an idiot. Doesn''t Snipes have an agent? I guess Snipes didn''t let him in on the scam. Not filing tax returns for six years will get you attention especially when you''re trying to get refunds totalling $12 million.

"A telephone listing for American Rights Litigators could not be located." That doesn''t sound good.

Just pay what you owe IRS. Don''t pull a fast one.
You''ll sleep better at night.

[likeitis5050]

Wow...a judge fed up with legal gimicks and games. How rare.

[dylanxxv]

Throw the no talent piece of garbage in prison and make an example out of him...