United States v. Taylor

220 F. Supp. 582
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. North Carolina
DecidedAugust 27, 1963
DocketNos. Cr-224-G-61, Cr-225-G-61
StatusPublished

This text of 220 F. Supp. 582 (United States v. Taylor) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Taylor, 220 F. Supp. 582 (M.D.N.C. 1963).

Opinion

EDWIN M. STANLEY, Chief Judge.

On June 2, 1961, the defendant, Herman L. Taylor, was charged in two separate indictments with tax offenses. In No. Cr-224-G — 61 he was charged in separate counts with wilfully failing to file Federal tax returns for 1956 and 1957, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7203, and in No. Cr-225-G-61, he was charged in a one-count indictment with wilfully and knowingly attempting to evade and de[583]*583feat a large part of Ms Federal income tax for the year 1955 by filing a false and fraudulent tax return, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7201.

At the December, 1961, criminal term of court, the defendant entered a plea of guilty to both counts in No. Cr-G-224G — 61, and a plea of not guilty to the charge in No. Cr-G-225-G-61. On the latter case, he was tried and convicted by a jury. The defendant was given prison sentences of two years and fined $10,000.00 in each of the cases. The prison sentences were ordered to run concurrently, but the fines were cumulative and in the total sum of $20,000.00. The execution of the prison sentence was suspended and the defendant was placed on probation for a period of five years subject to certain general conditions, and upon the special condition that he pay his $20,000.00 fine, and certain delinquent taxes, within specified times.

The defendant appealed to the Court of Appeals from his conviction on the charge of wilfully filing a false and fraudulent income tax return, and challenged the right of the court to require the payment of delinquent taxes as a special condition of probation in both cases. The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction in No. Cr-225-G-61, holding that the evidence was sufficient to sustain the jury’s determination of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. It was held, however, that this court exceeded its authority in ordering a restitution to the Government of certain portions of the taxes as a special condition of probation. United States v. Taylor, 4 Cir., 305 F.2d 183 (1962). The Supreme Court denied certiorari. Taylor v. United States, 371 U.S. 894, 83 S.Ct. 193, 9 L.Ed.2d 126 (1962). Following the decision of the Court of Appeals, and while the matter was pending in the Supreme Court of the United States, an order was entered deleting the earlier requirement that delinquent taxes be paid as a special condition of probation. The order also provided for the payment of the $20,000.00 fine within 30 days after the Supreme Court finally disposed of the defendant’s petition for certiorari. A final disposition was made on December 17, 1962, when the Supreme Court denied a petition for rehearing. Taylor v. United States, 371 U.S. 943, 83 S.Ct. 322, 9 L. Ed.2d 277 (1962).

No part of the fine having been paid within the time prescribed, the court ordered the arrest of the defendant on a warrant charging the violation of the special condition of probation. At a hearing conducted on January 31, 1963, after finding that the defendant had violated the special condition of probation by failing to pay any part of his fines, the order of probation was revoked and the defendant was committed to serve the original prison sentence of two years. The defendant again appealed to the Court of Appeals, contending that since his failure to pay the fines was due to his poverty, and was not wilful, the court abused its discretion in revoking his probation. The Court of Appeals handed down its decision on June 5,1963, vacating the order of revocation of probation and remanding the case for more specific findings on defendant’s plea of pauperism. United States v. Taylor, 4 Cir., 321 F.2d 339 (1963).

In obedience to the mandate of the Court of Appeals, an order was entered on July 25, 1963, a copy of which was served upon the defendant, setting the matter for further hearing on August 16, 1963, at which time the court would receive evidence from the Government and the defendant bearing upon the defendant’s plea of pauperism. After considering the evidence offered by the Government and the defendant at the August 16, 1963, hearing, including exhibits received in evidence, and the evidence received at the trial and prior hearings bearing upon the issue under inquiry, the court finds the following facts:

1. The defendant is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and is a 1945 graduate of Columbia University Law School in New York.

2. The defendant is a member of the Bars of New York and North Carolina, and has regularly engaged in the general [584]*584practice of law in Raleigh, North Carolina, since 1947.

3. Prior to attending law school, and while going to college, defendant was employed as a bookkeeper at the Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.

4. The defendant taught law at North Carolina College in Durham, North Carolina, from 1945 to 1947.

5. The defendant is familiar with the basic principles of Federal Income Tax law, and a part of his work as a practicing attorney has been to prepare Federal income tax returns for others.

6. The defendant entered a plea of guilty to receiving a gross income of $12,439.67 in 1956, and a gross income of $22,481.18 in 1957, and wilfully failing to file a Federal income tax return for either year.

7. With respect to the year 1955, the defendant was convicted of filing a fraudulent income tax return wherein he stated that he had no taxable income, when he knew he had a taxable income for said calendar year of $6,162.54.

8. For the year 1958, the defendant filed a tax return showing gross receipts from his law practice of $12,562.83, and a tax due of $598.90. No part of the tax was remitted with the return and no part has been paid.

9. The income tax return of the defendant for the year 1959 shows total receipts from his law practice of $21,-040.62, and a tax due of $1,935.81. No part of the tax has been paid. Claimed as a business deduction on this return was depreciation on a 1958 Model Oldsmobile costing $5,500.00, and a 1959 Model Cadillac costing $5,600.00. The total depreciation claimed was $3,300.00.

10. In his 1960 income tax return, the defendant showed total receipts from his law practice of $17,940.20, and a tax due of $426.51. No part of the tax has been paid. Claimed as a business deduction on this return was depreciation on a 1958 Model Oldsmobile costing $5,-500.00, a 1960 Oldsmobile costing $5,-400.00, and a 1959 Model Cadillac costing $5,600.00. The total depreciation claimed as business expense on these three automobiles was $5,940.00.

11. On his 1961 income tax return, which was filed on April 15, 1962, some four months after his conviction in these cases, the defendant showed receipts from his law practice of $17,223.62, and a tax due of $400.34. No part of the tax has been paid. This return shows that the defendant spent $50.00 during the calendar year on amusement taxes and contributed the sum of $100.00 to the Boy Scouts of America. Additionally, the defendant claimed as a business deduction the sum of $1,500.00 arising from bad debts, and admits that he reported his receipts on a cash basis.

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Related

United States v. Herman L. Taylor
305 F.2d 183 (Fourth Circuit, 1962)
United States v. Herman L. Taylor
321 F.2d 339 (Fourth Circuit, 1963)
Taylor v. United States
371 U.S. 894 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Greenhill v. United States
371 U.S. 943 (Supreme Court, 1962)

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Bluebook (online)
220 F. Supp. 582, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-taylor-ncmd-1963.