Method Man faces 5 years for tax evasion

You know I almost feel bad for Method Man (Clifford Smith). He has been arrested for not paying taxes. To be exact, he didn't pay taxes from 2004 - 2007.

Now if I were around Method Man I would remind him of one case - Wesley Snipes. For those that do not recall I followed that case from beginning to end. The beginning was very public. With accusations of avoiding authorities and speculation on whether Snipes was a criminal mastermind of a plot to not pay taxes for a group of people.

The truth was far less sensational than what the major media made it out to be. Snipes was evading nothing, as he was in Africa filming a movie at the time of the news came out. He made arrangements to come home, and the media turned that into a scene from a movie as if he was amazingly caught by police when arriving home.

The farce got worse as the Government alleged that Snipes, and not his accountants, was responsible for a dozen people not paying their taxes. They also claimed that Snipes was the one who arranged for the filing of a 100% refund of taxes he had filed via his accountants. They hit Snipes with a dozen charges and he faced 16+ years in prison as I recall.

The major media got quiet after this point, but the facts were that Snipes fought all the charges. He made it clear that the argument the Government made was false and illogical. And he proved almost every fact as well. In the end, he went from a dozen federal counts (which he defeated) to 3 misdemeanors. Of course an embarrassed Government did not take that well. Instead of the minor probation that the 3 offenses should have garnered, Snipes was hit with 3 years in jail. It was a shocking abuse of power by the Government - sour grapes indeed.

So if Clifford Smith is paying attention, keep this in mind. Already he is ahead of Snipes in that he has not been attacked by the media in this case. He only owes $33,000, not the reported $14 million they placed against Snipes. But somehow I don't think this will end up like Willie Nelson, who walked away from owing millions ($35 million to be exact) with probation and a minor fine - without much fanfare from the media.

Smith (Method Man) is facing 5 years. Given the nature of the Government on the similar case above, I'd plea bargain quickly. If all goes well he might only get 6 months in jail. It would still be too much and insanely harsh, but considering the Snipes case it will be a cake walk.

Wesley Snipes is innocent! - 2.1.2008.1

Wesley Snipes is innocent! That is what the headlines in the news should say, but I bet you will find few that will follow my lead.

After a year of spotty reporting by the major news media, and highly questionable charges, in my opinion, a jury has found Wesley Snipes innocent of fraud, conspiracy and three other counts of not filing a tax return. The 2 felony charges were the big issues that the government, as well as the few pundits and news organizations that discussed this case, were focused on. And Wesley Snipes won, without calling a single witness and a single day of defense.

Mr. Snipes was found guilty of 3 counts of not filing a tax return. Those were misdemeanor counts. He was up for 16 years in prison, that pundits were sure he would be convicted for, and based on the misdemeanors he will almost assuredly spend no time in prison.

This is one of the few cases against a famous African American that I agree with the decision. From the first sudden declaration of a warrant for Mr. Snipes I have consistently stated I thought this was a made up case. I have repeatedly brought up issues that not a single pundit I am aware of would speak about. And I am one of the few that kept up with the case while the major news dropped the case the second they lost the chance to sensationalize the negative aspects.

I’m happy the jury saw the truth of the matter. And I have to believe that it is the obvious truth. Because while major news media and pundits won’t say it, when a jury watches a defendant, that is African Americans thus meaning already walking in guilty, call no witnesses and end their defense in one day and then still finds them innocent of the real charges of the case – the innocence is apparent to the blind.

Let the media claim that Wesley Snipes is guilty, let them try to proclaim he was wrong. The fact is that from day one this case was questionable and wrong-minded. And Wesley Snipes is innocent.

**Just click on the Wesley Snipes label below to see all the posts I’m made on this case for the history of it.**