Posted on 07/03/2006 3:51:42 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
A civil rights attorney known for his police brutality lawsuits pleaded not guilty Monday to federal tax evasion charges.
"I plead presumed innocent," Stephen Yagman said, reading a statement in federal court. "But I don't intend that to be construed to dignify the politically motivated, retaliatory charges."
Yagman, 61, is accused of trying to avoid paying more than $100,000 in income taxes between 1998 and 2002.
Prosecutors claim he hid about $617,000 he received from his mother and elderly relatives in New York, $24,000 in royalties from his legal writings, and transferred ownership of his 2,800 square-foot house near the beach in Venice to his girlfriend to hide his ownership during bankruptcy proceedings.
A 19-count federal grand jury indictment issued last month contends that, with interest and penalties, he owes more than $158,000.
His trial was set for Aug. 15. If convicted, he could face prison time and be barred from practicing law.
Over the years, Yagman has filed dozens of lawsuits claiming that Los Angeles police abused and framed suspects and made false arrests.
Yagman also sued President Bush and other officials for alleged violations of constitutional rights of a detainee at the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and sought class-action status on behalf of all detainees.
Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said the office "strongly denies that this prosecution has anything to do with politics, or with any sort of retaliation."
he pleads..."presumed" innocence"???? LOL!!! That's what we all are!! What a DEMOCRAT WEASEL TAX EVADER!!
Don't normal people get 3 ways to plead Innocent, Guilty or No Contest?
TT
The guy sounds like a really pleasent piece of work.
I bet some lucky warden is gonna get a kick out of him when he moves in..
I hope that they throw him under the jail.
I am sure that he will be in good company with his former clients in jail.
Probably. And Yagman cheated on his taxes. He should go to jail for a nice long time.
Gee, maybe this lawyer can share some jail time with former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell. They have a lot in common, they cheated on their taxes, and got nailed for it. Good!!
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