Should Richard Hatch (survivor) really go to jail?
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Hatch must now be jail "survivor"
By Ray Henry
The Associated Press
Richard Hatch, winner of the first "Survivor," faces up to 13 years in prison.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Richard Hatch, who won $1 million in the debut season of the reality show "Survivor," was found guilty Wednesday of failing to pay taxes on his winnings and taken to jail.
Hatch remained calm as the verdict was read. He waved to family members, then was handcuffed and taken into custody after U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said he was a potential flight risk.
The charges could bring a sentence of up to 13 years in prison. Torres said he expected a sentence of between 33 months and 41 months, but it could be longer because prosecutors accuse Hatch of committing perjury during his testimony. Sentencing was scheduled for April 28.
Hatch, 44, also was convicted of evading taxes on $327,000 he earned as co-host of a Boston radio show and $28,000 in rent on property he owned. Hatch's lawyer, John MacDonald, said he would appeal the verdict.
Torres said Hatch never accounted for a significant part of his money, including the "Survivor" prize.
An explanation for Hatch's failure to pay taxes was raised recently by his lawyer — but never mentioned in the jury's presence. Michael Minns said Hatch caught fellow contestants cheating and struck a deal with the show's producers to pay his taxes if he won.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company |
source link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...92_hatch26.html
Should this kind of crime result in jail time? After all, he didn't do anything that directly hurt anyone and he's not violent. Is it worth tax payers' money to keep him behind bars just because he didn't pay taxes?
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Anti-Purple Alliance.
