Friday February 1, 2008

Actor Wesley Snipes was convicted of failure to file taxes,  in a Florida courtroom on Friday.

The ‘Hard Luck’ star, 45, faces up to three years in federal prison for failing to file tax returns from 1999-2001.

A Florida jury of seven women and five men announced the verdict Friday afternoon, after beginning deliberations Wednesday.

Snipes and his attorneys are yet to comment on the conviction.

During the course of the trial, attorneys for the actor admitted he was “dead wrong” not to have paid taxes and that he would make restitution. In so arguing, they also claimed that no fraud was perpetrated and that no trial was even necessary.

“Disagreement with the IRS is not fraud of the IRS, is not deception,” argued defense attorney Robert Barnes.

When the day’s session concluded on Tuesday, Snipes said outside the courthouse, “Of course you would be nervous,. You’re on trial. Anybody would have a certain amount of anxiety about that. But I have a great deal of faith in the Most High and the Good Lord and the truth shall set you free. So, I’m looking forward to being free, going back to what I do best.”

The Hollywood star – best known as the vampire-slaying hero in the Blade trilogy and for other tough-guy roles – is due to be seen later this year in Gallowwalker, which was shot in the African nation of Namibia.

He was convicted along with his accountant and the founder of a tax-protest outfit called American Rights Litigators.

“The defendants know what the law is, they just don’t like the law,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Scotland Morris told the jury members before they went to verdict. “The defendants are tax protesters.”

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