from ap: Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison on tax charges Thursday, a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star by aggressively pursuing the maximum penalty.
Snipes' lawyers had spent much of the day in court offering dozens of letters from family members, friends even fellow actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington attesting to the good character of the "Blade" star and asking for leniency. They argued he should get only probation because his three convictions were all misdemeanors and the actor had no previous criminal record.
lawyers face off at start of snipes tax fraud case from reuters: Defense attorneys clashed with the prosecution on Wednesday in Wesley Snipes' tax fraud trial over whether the actor conspired with a longtime tax protester to defraud the government of millions of dollars. The star of the "Blade" movie series has been charged with six counts of failing to file tax returns, two of fraudulently claiming tax refunds and one count of conspiracy to defraud the government. He faces up to 16 years in prison. Also on trial are Eddie Ray Kahn, a known tax protester, and a former accountant, Douglas Rosile. flashback: wesley snipes pleads not guilty in tax case
diane keaton swears on tv & the fcc stammers from reuters: The nation's top TV regulator said it would be difficult for the Federal Communications Commission to take action against ABC stations that aired "Good Morning America" on Tuesday when actress Diane Keaton used the f-word.
'american gangster' slapped by feds' lawsuit from abc: ABC News has learned that a group of former federal drug enforcement agents has filed a class-action lawsuit against NBC Universal today, asserting they were defamed by the blockbuster flick "American Gangster." As the final credits roll on the flick starring Denzel Washington as Harlem drug thug Frank Lucas, a screen appears that states three-quarters of the drug enforcement agents assigned to New York were convicted as a result of Lucas' cooperation with "outcast cop" Richie Roberts, portrayed by Russell Crowe in the movie. There were no such convictions, Drug Enforcement Administration officials told ABC News. But the agency had no immediate reaction when told of the lawsuit.
ap wants to know everything about britney from new york times: The Associated Press is bolstering its entertainment news coverage — and for many readers and viewers, Britney Spears is nothing if not entertaining. An internal memorandum from The A.P.’s Los Angeles bureau dictating coverage of the troubled pop star was published by several media blogs... While not directly related, the renewed interest in Ms. Spears comes as The Associated Press is putting new emphasis on entertainment coverage. Mr. Ferrara said the news service’s clients — more than 1,500 daily papers and thousands of other media outlets — were yearning for more photos and videos of celebrities.
from seattle p-i: Wesley Snipes was released on $1 million bond after pleading not guilty to federal charges including falsely claiming millions of dollars in tax refunds, two months after he was indicted in central Florida.
The actor, known for films such as the "Blade" trilogy, didn't speak at a court appearance in Ocala on Friday. He went there after arriving in Orlando on a private jet from the African nation of Namibia, where he was filming "Gallow Walker," his publicist said.
"I look forward to clearing my name and resolving this issue posthaste," Snipes, wearing blue tinted glasses and a suit, said after the hearing. He didn't comment further.
Snipes, 44, was charged in October with fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 on income taxes already paid. He was also charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004. If convicted, he faces up to 16 years in prison.
He will be allowed to return to Namibia to finish the film, but must return to his home in Marina del Rey, Calif., by Jan. 10, U.S. Magistrate Gary Jones ruled.
After that, he will be required to surrender his U.S. passport and will be restricted to traveling in the continental United States. A Feb. 22 status conference was scheduled, which Snipes isn't required to attend.
According to the indictment, Snipes had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. The firm American Rights Litigators would receive 20 percent of refunds from clients, according to the indictment.
"We believe the evidence in the case will show he has been the victim of unscrupulous tax advice. And this trial will help vindicate him," said Billy Martin, Snipes' lawyer.
"Gallow Walker," a cowboy movie, will be completed next week and will be released sometime next fall, said Ian Thompson, spokesman for Sheer Films, which is producing the movie. Snipes' arrest wasn't expected to delay production, Thompson said.
Martin said Snipes left the United States to film the movie long before the indictment.
"We want to make it clear that he did not avoid returning to the United States. He's always been ready to return," Martin said.
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