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Slick Rick is officially a free man, compliments of NY Governor David Patterson. Click HERE for the full scoop, including the background of the whole fiasco that landed him in prison.

Slick isn’t the only one who’s off the hook. Wesley Snipes was granted bail. Click HERE for this most recent update.

Image via WENN

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It looks like Blade’s fate has been decided. Now he’s set to spend at 3 years in the pen.

Click HERE to find out when his sentence begins and learn more about his appeal efforts.

A Blade Update:

“Wesley Snipes just got a little more time to practice not dropping the soap in the shower: Wes won’t have to check into the big house until his appeal — should it be granted — is finished.”

Ole Wes may get to avoid the slammer altogether – he must be feeling happy than a mf at this point.

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It appears that Wesley’s fate is spared – for now:

“Wesley Snipes’ legal team is appealing the actor’s federal tax conviction and his three-year prison sentence. The Blade star was ordered to serve jail time last month after Florida Judge William Terrell Hodges convicted Snipes of failing to file his taxes for five years. But his attorneys are set to challenge the ruling and they filed notice in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday. Meanwhile, Snipes will remain free until he’s ordered to surrender by the federal Bureau of Prisons.”

He’s got his lawyers working overtime to keep him out of the slammer. We wish his tax-evading ass good luck with that. SMH.

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Wesley Snipes was locked up today for a tax evasion conviction:

A judge has just sentenced Wesley Snipes to three years in prison for tax evasion. Forget black — always bet on the U.S. government!

Snipes was not forced to surrender immediately. Instead, the judge ruled he could surrender at a later date, closer to his New Jersey home. Nathan J. Hochman, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, said, “Snipes’ long prison sentence should send a loud and crystal clear message to all tax defiers that if they engage in similar tax defier conduct, they face joining him and his co-defendants … as inmates in prison.”

Denzel wrote a letter to the judge on Wesley’s behalf but he still got the maximum possible sentence. You know the judge got mad at a brotha making 30X more than him. Click here to read why Snipes thinks racism is involved in the case.

His sentence sounds excessive to us, discuss…

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Blade’s IRS scandal is about to come to a head. Wesley’s got his back up against the wall, so he’s asked some celebs to send letters to the judge begging for his mercy:

“Judge Greg Mathis, who says: ‘Unfortunately, it was his honest nature that forced him into these legalities’ and ‘I can say from my personal experience as a Judge that people are always trying to manipulate and defraud people with a high profile status.’

Denzel Washington says that Wes is like ‘a tree — a mighty oak.’”

Umm, we doubt resembling a tree is going to help Wesley out of this mess. Blade faces three years in prison and sentencing is set for tomorrow, time to face the music. SMH.

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It’s time for Wesley Snipes to pay up:

Prosecutors are recommending a three-year prison sentence for Wesley Snipes for tax evasion, according to a court filing released – appropriately – on Tuesday, tax day. Per the papers, filed by U.S. Attorney Robert O’Neill, the actor also ought to pay a $5 million fine for his “brazen defiance” of tax laws that cheated the government out of $41 million.

“This case cries out for the statutory maximum term of imprisonment, as well as a substantial fine, because of the seriousness of defendant Snipes’ crimes and because of the singular opportunity this case presents to deter tax crime nationwide,” the attorney writes.

The documents also claim that Wesley and two cohorts “brazenly waged a campaign” against the Internal Revenue Service by mailing fake claims and filings to the agency, in addition to making “frivolous” Freedom of Information Act requests for IRS records.

Tsk, tsk at him thinking he could get away with ganking the IRS of all those stacks upon stacks. Dumbass.

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Yolanda Adams has her IRS game on Wesley Snipes status:

Houston gospel singer and radio host Yolanda Adams is under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service. The agency has asked a federal judge to force the entertainer to turn over documents after she failed to show up for an appointment last month to explain her financial affairs. The agency is trying to determine her tax liability and how to collect on the debt. According to filings in Houston federal court, the IRS probe stems from two million-dollar mortgage loan applications. A 2005 Ocwen application said Adams earned $40,000 a month and listed $8 million in assets — including an $800,000 trust account, $4.9 million in other personal holdings and jewelry worth $1.5 million. That document said she owned a Lexus and a Hummer. A subsequent Chase home loan application listed $3 million in assets, including a business worth $1.5 million, a Mercedes-Benz and a Range Rover. She owns a home worth more than $2 million in Houston’s Royal Oaks Country Club subdivision. Continue »

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Jennifer Hudson hit up the Academy Awards last night in Hollyweird looking awfully radiant. We’re glad to see that she has her elegant swag tight this time.

More Oscar Pics:

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Wesley Snipes was acquitted of federal tax fraud but was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return.charges today.

The federali’s must have took his threats seriously.

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Blade sheds a little light on being a bit shook while on trial:

“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.”

I’ve always been paying my taxes and I’ve always been trying to comply. This question is, did they tell you what you’re supposed to do to comply? We should be able to go to our government and get clear answers.”

Seems like someone is very confident that he’ll get off easy.

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It seems Wesley Snipes is getting his action roles twisted with real life. He sent a document to the IRS with the following words:

He chastised the IRS and prosecutors, saying their position toward him was “simply false, fraudulent and misrepresenting.” The document also warned the government’s “illegal collection action” would result in “significant personal liability” for those involved. “Warning – pursuit of such a high profile target will open the door for your increased collateral risk,” Snipes wrote. “I certainly don’t believe this is in your best interest and can be avoided.”

..Among other things, the letter claimed the IRS deceives people to “terrorize, enslave, rape or pillage” taxpayers.

Come on Snipes, this is not a movie, the federalies will lock yo ass up and throw away the key.

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Wesley Snipes held vigil with several Black church leaders today before he arrived at court for jury selection in his tax evasion case. The idea of a predominately white jury sent him to the church. Thats right Wesley, call on the Lord. You are going to need a miracle to pull you out of this.

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Wesley Snipes is desperately seeking to have his tax evasion trial relocated. This is his third attempt to move his trial from Ocala, Florida for fears of racism.

With his track record of comments toward black women, he has a better chance with a white jury.

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Wesley Snipes, who will stand before a jury that may convict him and send him to prison for 16 years for tax fraud blames his accountants for that situation and talks about racism on the set of Blade Trinity with Entertainment Weekly:

”They positioned it like, ‘He’s irresponsible, dangerous, guilty — this is why he’s in Africa. All these things, they play into our stereotypes. People think I’m Nino Brown [his gangster character from 1991's New Jack City] or Blade. They think I’m an evil dude. The accountants say you’re entitled to a refund because of these particular rules and regulations. So you say all right…. If someone tells me I’m entitled to a refund, I’ll go for the refund! I never got a dime. I didn’t defraud the government by taking money that was not mine. We never got it!” Continue »

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It’s a slow news day and we just thought we would post this throwback pic (1995) of Wesley Snipes and J Lo back in the day.

You better believe Blade got a piece of that while she was coming up in Hollyweird.