Ex-Omaha computer engineer is on trial on 3 charges of tax evasion (failed to pay more than $52,800)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/ex-omaha-computer-engineer-is-on-trial-on-charges-of/article_78ebd0aa-b7d2-11e4-9ffa-fb98f0763f7e.html

POSTED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2015 1:58 AM
By Alissa Skelton / World-Herald staff writer

A former Omaha computer engineer who admits he hasn’t filed federal individual income tax returns since 2000 is on trial this week facing three charges of tax evasion.

Chet Lee West, 59, of Nebo, North Carolina, is convinced that tax codes allow him to get out of paying income taxes, even though the federal government has advised him otherwise.

West, who is representing himself, told the jury in his opening statement Wednesday, “Thank you for being my champion ... You 12 people sitting here are the fortress which protects me from the most powerful and the most brutal entity on the face of this Earth — the United States government.”

He continued, saying he is on trial to examine a difference of opinion on how to interpret tax laws. He said that throughout the trial, he will explain how he went to great lengths to figure out what taxable income is and the proper way to never again have any taxable income.

FULL story at link.

[NashuaDW]

1. When does Al Sharpton get his turn in front of a jury?

[jberryhill]

2. "a difference of opinion on how to interpret tax laws"

i.e. "he is a loon".

I'm amazed at the staying power of the various species of "you don't really have to pay income tax" theories of sovereign citizens and their kindred spirits through the decades.

If I had my druthers, I would compile the comprehensive compendium of nutty legal theories and the broken reasoning of people whose brains are unusually wired. There's a certain inability to see the forest for the trees that underlies the type of thinking that goes into these things.

[Adrahil]

5. He's going to have a difference of opinion on jail time too, I suppose.n/t

[Logical]

3. He would not like me on his jury! nt

[Fumesucker]

4. Should have put some of that toward leasing a politician or two...

That's what the really big money does and you don't see them ending up in court over taxes that often.