Friday, April 25, 2008

Death, Taxes and Wesley Snipes


Well, it looks like they finally got Wesley Snipes. After years of dancing around the issue Mr. Snipes of the Blade trilogy, was finally found guilty of misdemeanor tax evasion and sentence to three years in jail. What is so funny about the case is that right before the verdict came down yesterday, Mr. Snipes apparently whipped out a series of three checks, for 5 million smackers, for the federal government. The story that I read said that prosecutors were so shocked that they declined the money, at first. However, by the end of the day they were like, “okay, we guess we’ll take it”. Yeah, right. It must have took them that long to call the bank, where the money was being drawn from, to see if the checks would clear. Ain’t nobody playing with Wesley.

Mr. Snipes case is reportedly the highest-profile criminal tax target in ages (and I was thinking it would have been Willy Nelson). Wesley was initially up on several charges, including; felony tax fraud and conspiracy, which carried a maximum time of 13 years, but they let him off with the more menial three counts of willfully failing to file returns.

What I learned, while reading about this issue is that these types of cases are relatively rare and are usually handled in the civil courts because the burden of proof is so much lower there. I’m thinking that the only reason that prosecutors went the harder route on this bad boy is because of the fact that you are caped on the amount of money you can ask for in civil cases. Otherwise we might have been seeing this case tried by the People Court, or Judge Joe Brown, who as it turns out testified as a character witness on behalf of Mr. Snipes. This is because Snipes’ attorney thought the three year penalty was too high and is attempting to get it reduced. Along with the testimony for the good Judge Brown, Snipes attorney also introduced letters from fellow actors such as Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington. The court was unscaved and upheld his decision. I say let the man serve his three years. It’s not like he’s making movies, right?

Besides, in my opinion, Mr. Snipes got off easy when compared to his partners in crime, who were convicted of the felony crimes that Wesley was acquitted on; one receiving the maximum of 10 years the other 4 ½. The guy that got the maximum sentence was one Mr. Eddie Ray Kahn. It is Mr. Kahn who got Snipes mixed up in all this mess in the first place. You see, Kahn is the founder of American Rights Litigators, as well as successor group, Guiding Light of God Ministries. Both organizations are alleged in helping members in legally avoiding paying taxes. Yeah, that worked. Mr. Snipes was a card carrying, dues paying member of the group(s).
All in all Mr. Snipes has not paid taxes since 1998, but his attorney contends that his client is being unfairly singled out because of the fact that he is a celebrity. I say, what about the other two bastards that received higher penalties. Ain’t nobody ever heard of their asses, so that crap don’t float here, Mr. Attorney. Damn it, if my broke ass has to pay taxes, Wesley Snipes damn sho’ better come up with some duggets. I’m guessing this means that he doesn’t get his extra six hundred dollar rebate check this coming May. What a shame.

Oh, and just for the record, I tried to Google an image of that bastard Kahn, because I needed to know his race. You might not think it’s important, but a brother like me needs to the race of folks. I ain’t racist, but I be all about race. I don’t care! (I couldn’t find a photo of that bastard to save my life. I’m thinking he’s black, because he got the maximum sentence, but he might be white since there’s not picture of him to be found).

I still say I’m not racist, damn it! Just cynical as hell.

-One Man’s Opinion. Peace.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

LMAO at you tryin' to find a pic of Kahn.

As for Wesley, his movies are garbage so ain't nobody gonna miss him for the next 3 years. And he's going to federal prison so I highly doubt he'll be housed next to Tommy Ray Gilroy, the serial rapist and sodomist who has a thang for black boys.

Things I've learned this year in law school: mistake of law is NOT a defense to a crime. Translation: Mr. Snipes, you guilty as sin so get over it!

What is killer to me is that you can give this bad actor 3 years for not paying taxes but you acquit 3 police officers for killing Sean Bell and wounding his two friends.

Where is the justice in that??????

Hadassah said...

LOL! good for Snipes anyways lol. i don't like him that much. wasnt he the one who made halle berry deaf in one ear?

Desy said...

LMAO@ let him serve since he aint makin any movies...lol

honeslty, it always feels odd when celebrities end up truly serving time because it happens SOOOOOO rarely... hmmm, we'll see if hey actually has to serve that time...

but he is midnight... he shoulda gone through the Michael J process and maybe they would've been more lenient...lol

Anonymous said...

I concur Ieisha with your last 2 paragraphs.

I like to know the race of people too. Race may not be pertinet to the story, but I just like calling out peoples races. lol

Brittany said...

lol @ you saying they had to see if the check would clear.

Curious said...

So how much time will Wesley actually serve? And what kind of facility will he go to?

Also what happened to all the support of those woman who would have dropped their draws at a moments notice for him a few years ago now?

Oh, and the $600, if he paid taxes this year wouldn't still be able to get a rebate? Or do convicts not count? He should stayed in S. Africa or wherever he was hiding.

Miss Snarky Pants said...

LOL @ "It’s not like he’s making movies, right?"

Hell...if we haven't missed him while he's been off in hiding all this time I'm sure three more years of his absence won't hurt anybody!!!

mp1 said...

With a name like Kahn I'm thinking he's from Europe, but what do I know?

You damn balck folk always trying to know someone's race....whaddup with that? you think any other race care.....you know what, never mind.

Three years seems a bit much, but his co-defendants got hosed. That's jacked up

JayBee said...

the [in]justice system at work again. not only do officers willfully pull JayBee over and give him tickets without cause, w.s. has to go to jail and if i understood what your post he said he had the money in court that he owed. take the damned money and go on. if you're mad cause he didn't pay and now he's paying what's the problem?

Anonymous said...

Ive never understood why rich people can't just pay the taxes they owe like the rest of us.

Didn't the IRS start posting a list of all the people who are behind in their taxes? I think I watched a news clip as they read off some people who were delinquent.

Ok...so Wesley is a done deal...time for those attorneys to go after the rest of the damn list and make an example of them, too!!!

Isn't this a picture of Kahn?

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/11/01/wesley_snipes_accomplice_is_arrested_for

also here:
http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/th/Wesley%20Snipes-1.JPG

If links don't work go to google, click images. Type in Eddie Ray Kahn. He'll be the second picture and under it will say "Eddie Ray Kahn stands accused of ..." from Starpulse magazine.

UBERMOUTH said...

I bet Snipes does not see the inside of a prison! I hate when celebs try to get the celeb treatment by using reverse psychology ,bitching that they are being unfairly treated be -cause of their celeb status.

UBERMOUTH said...

Yet O.J got off for double murder. Tax fraud is clearly the more henious crime!

Dave Van Buren said...

How gangsta is it that he came to court with his checks ready? if he had done that up front he would not be in court.

LOL at the pic of Wesley. I wonder if he got that money pimping Asian women? you know how he loves them.

One Man’s Opinion said...

Okay, can we make this a none cop hating blog. I don’t know anything about Sean Bell, Ieisha, but if you give me some more information I might be able to respond to your question. Maybe.
Mp1, with a name like Kahn, I thought he was from one of the Star Trek movies.
Jaybee, if you don’t get over those damn tickets….You gave them cause, when you sped, albeit on five miles over the limit. Sorry, but that’s the way it is, bro. You can’t open the door if you don’t want them to come in. Oh, and I think he went to jail to prove a point, he needs to pay his taxes like everyone else. Everyone should be pissed as hell that Snipes and anyone else, celebrity or otherwise, gets away something that we are not. Period, in my mind.
Black Mamba, nice try but no, that is not Kahn.
Ubermouth you are most likely right. He will probably get immediate probation. Of course, Martha Steward did spend her jail time (sort of), I guess.
Homer, I did not know he liked Asian women. I chose that picture because I thought he looked like my aunt in it. No lie.

Mizrepresent said...

lol, you are funny as hell One Man, talking about you chose that pic, bc he looks like your aunt. Can't comment on the rest, except to say, bruh man should have paid his taxes, you think if they can bring down the mafia (ie. Al Capone) on that ish, no man is exempt, for real...only dollars speak in this country.

Anonymous said...

LOL yes the tax man will get you. I've never known anyone to go to prison for it but I have friends/family members who have had their bank accounts frozen when they didn't pay. It sucks all around.

I ended up paying over $1200 for 2007. It hurt like a bitch to tap into my emergency fund but a sistah wouldn't look so good in an orange jumpsuit lol.

Also thanks for the wonderful comments you left on my blog. I'm so glad I found you :)

Unknown said...

I'm just speechless at how these things get dealt with. Your tax peeps (the IRS) are mean dudes. If Snipes handed over 5 million big ones, y is he still going to jail?

Stew said...

NO not wesley. well i am impressed that he got away with it for this long. how did he get caught in the first place?

shhhh said...

i agree with you here bro. everyone has to pay taxes. even the queen of england pays taxes!

Unknown said...

Seriously? How do you judge blacks? You have so much hate in your heart that the most high GOD would never accept your presence.