Aug. 9, 03
A Memphis federal jury acquitted FedEx pilot Vernice Kuglin of six counts of
felony Tax Evasion and Willful Failure to File tax returns.
Ms. Kuglin's attorneys, Tax Honesty Movement barristers
Larry
Becraft and Robert G. Bernhoft, told reporters
that Kuglin was indicted seven months ago and had refused to plead the case out
for a lesser sentence. During her testimony Kuglin testified that since 1995,
she had sent numerous letters to the IRS requesting that they inform her of what
law required her to pay the Individual Income Tax. To this day, she has not
received an answer.
At
1:30 Friday afternoon, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on all counts.
After the jury had been excused the U.S. Attorney reportedly demanded that the
Judge order the defendant to file her forms, pay her taxes and obey the law. The
Judge reportedly replied "Sir, I don't work for the IRS."
The case is: U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
(Memphis) # 03-CR-20111, USA v. Kuglin.
The news story below comes from the August 9th edition of the Memphis daily
newspaper, The Commercial Appeal:
By Shirley Downing
A federal jury Friday found FedEx
pilot Vernice Kuglin not guilty of evading income taxes on $920,000.
The question of tax payment was unresolved at the end of the five-day trial.
Federal prosecutor Joe Murphy was not available for comment.
Kuglin, 58, was charged with
six counts of tax evasion that could have meant up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines.
The government accused Kuglin
of filing false W4 forms for the period from 1996 to 2001.
Kuglin, a pilot for FedEx
since 1985, said she had paid taxes like anyone else for most of her life. But
about 10 or 11 years ago, she began to question the federal tax system. She
began to read court documents, legal opinions and the federal tax code.
She said she found what she felt were contradictions. She wanted to know where in the federal tax code it
said she was liable for taxes.
Murphy, in closing arguments on Thursday, said Kuglin did have an opportunity to discuss her situation with
the IRS, to learn what she owed and what documents she was required to file "and
she didn't."
Defense attorney Larry Becraft
of Huntsville, Ala., said Kuglin decided mandatory payment of income taxes "did
not apply to her."
After the verdict Friday,
Becraft said the federal tax code is a confusing conglomeration that "at best is
a walking due process violation."
He said the average American simply doesn't understand the tax code.
Juror Barbara Snodgras of
Memphis said the jury did not convict because "we all felt that the prosecution
didn't prove its case."
When asked if she planned to start paying federal income taxes again, Kuglin replied: "I will pay
all the taxes for which I am liable."
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