Apparently, it’s better to be naked on a beach in Borneo eating bugs than wearing orange in a prison cell in West Virginia…
Richard Hatch, the first winner of Survivor has made yet another request to be released from prison. Hatch is currently serving just over four years in a West Virginia federal prison for tax evasion. He was convicted of not reporting the $1 million prize that he won on the reality show. Hatch, of course, maintains that he is innocent, and claims that he made CBS aware that he knew there was cheating on the show. In return, he says, they promised to pay his taxes for him. CBS has repeatedly denied the claim and Hatch’s attorneys did not present any evidence on that claim at trial.
Even if CBS fessed up, Hatch has never offered a suitable excuse for not reporting $327,000 he earned as co-host of a Boston radio show or $28,000 of rental proceeds.
Hatch, now writing a memo for his appeal, says:
“Hatch’s portrayal on ‘Survivor’ and his media-concocted caricature as villainous and manipulative continue to unfairly bleed into legal proceedings and wield unjust influence.”
Yes, it’s written by him but in the third person.
It’s the “everybody hates me” appeal. Note to Richard: it does not work with my 4-year-old and I’m guessing it will not work for you. Just a hunch.
Hatch has previously appealed and lost – including an appeal to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case. This time, he has a new strategy: he’s representing himself (cause that works sooo often). He’s also claiming that his prior lawyers were not effective and that the judge did not calculate his jail time correctly.
Prosecutors have not yet responded to the motion.
Assuming that nothing changes, which is a pretty good bet, Hatch is scheduled to be released from prison on October 7, 2009.
Seems like a lot of embarrassment and inconvenience just to save seven months of prison time. Maybe it’s a last-minute publicity blitz.
That’s exactly what I was thinking TaxRascal.