Thursday, April 24, 2008

Snipes in Stripes

Someone's going to look real good in stripes............


People Magazine reports ----

The Blade star, 45, was sentenced Thursday to three years behind bars as his punishment for failing to file his tax returns, U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges announced in an Ocala, Fla., courtroom.

The actor sat stone-faced – and some people in the courtroom gasped – when the sentence was read. "I'm very sorry for my mistakes and errors. I apologize to my family, the court and the community," Snipes said as his wife looked on. "I've asked the court to show me mercy and the opportunity to make things right."

In February, a federal jury convicted Snipes of three counts of failing to file a tax return (from 1999 through 2001). Thursday he received 12 months for each count. Prosecutors say the actor owes a total of $41 million in taxes, of which he paid $5 at the sentencing.

Several famous names sent in letters of support for Snipes, including Denzel Washington, Woody Harrelson and TV judge Joe Brown. Washington called Snipes a "great oak." Harrelson, who starred with Snipes in Wildcats, wrote, "Wes continues to encourage and challenge me to be the best man I can be by being a constant friend."

Story & Picture Source

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don’t know if I would have used Woody Harrelson as a character witness.

PCD (Pretty Circle Drawer) said...

i'm shocked...but not completely. altho i'm no wesley fanatic, i've never understood the point of being in a financially upstanding place, and opting to be financially irresponsible. it's so elitist and unnecessary.

i think when they caught mr. biggs, wesley should have learned a lesson and dialed up the IRS and started trying to address this...BEFORE they came to him.

Edirin said...

this is such a shame

TravelDiva said...

LMAO @ John!!

I'm kind of surprised too. Wow. Just file your taxes man!

Tiffany S. Jones said...

Well, I guess he'll have a chance to actually live the movie "Undisputed." But then again, since this was considered a 'white-collar' crime, he may go to a federal resort. He'd better hope the government doesn't take Bernie Mac's approach to crime from "Head of State."
"Blue collar, white collar, I don't care if you're wearing a pink collar. You steal from me, I'mma whoop yo' ass!"

CHA CHA said...

LMAO at snipes in stripes..priceless

Phyllis Bourne said...

You just don't mess around with the government's money. The IRS doesn't play.