Posted on 04/05/2005 5:02:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO - J. Tony Serra, the civil rights lawyer who inspired the 1988 movie "True Believer," pleaded guilty Tuesday to two federal tax evasion charges and faces as long as 16 months in prison.
Serra, who is defending Greg Anderson - Barry Bonds' trainer in the BALCO steroids scandal - hasn't paid taxes since 1991.
In a plea agreement, he admitted not paying $18,000 in taxes for 1998 and $26,000 in 1999 and said he would pay all back taxes to 1991, estimated at $100,000.
The 70-year-old Serra, who has taken a vow of poverty, drives old beaten cars, wears used suits and does not have a credit card or cell phone. He told reporters outside of court that he considers the prosecution "wholly political."
"I'm being victimized," he said.
His attorney, Randolph Daar, said Serra does much of his work for free and even spends his own money on cases. Daar said Serra's friends are expected to donate the money to pay the back taxes, and that Serra earns only enough money to survive.
"True Believer," starring James Wood and Robert Downey Jr., was based in part on Serra's life. Serra has defended Black Panther leader Huey Newton, Russell Little of the Symbionese Liberation Army and computer hacker Kevin Mitnick. A federal judge had rejected Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski's attempt to hire him during Kaczynski's federal murder trial in Sacramento.
Prosecutor Charles O'Reilly said Serra "willfully failed to pay income taxes."
Magistrate Joseph Spero set a July 29 sentencing date. Serra remains free without bail.
Serra said that, if he goes to prison, it would not be until at least January so he could finish his caseload, according to his plea agreement with authorities.
It's not the first time Serra has been convicted of tax evasion. He was put on five-years' probation and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in back taxes in 1986. He was sentenced to four months in 1974 on tax evasion charges stemming from his protest of the Vietnam War.
Serra has been trying to negotiate a plea deal for Anderson, whose trial is tentatively set for September.
The case is United States v. Serra, 05-00171.
So, he has been convicted THREE times and he only gets 16 months? Sounds like a leftist prosecutor in charge of this one.
"Serra, who has taken a vow of poverty..."
What kind of vow? For religious reasons?
I'd like to know WHEN the vow was taken. How can you rack up that much back tax if you weren't making any money?? Sounds fishy.
heh heh heh
Is this the same justice system that let Berger walk?
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