Springer/Stilley criminal trial

[Demosthenes]

Defendant in tax fraud trial claims God targeted the IRS

by: DAVID HARPER World Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 27, 2009


The trial of two men who are charged with participating in a federal income-tax conspiracy began Tuesday in Tulsa, with one of the defendants telling the jury that God asked him to help get rid of the Internal Revenue Service.

Lindsey Kent Springer of Kellyville and Oscar Amos Stilley of Fort Smith, Ark., were charged on March 10 with engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to the indictment, Springer used the name Bondage Breakers Ministry to solicit and receive money.

His stated purpose for Bondage Breakers Ministry was “to get rid of the Internal Revenue Service,” according to the grand jury.

The indictment alleges that Stilley, while practicing as an attorney, assisted Springer’s tax evasion through a variety of means.

While Stilley reserved his right to make an opening statement on Tuesday, Springer — who is representing himself — told the jury of his belief that God asked him to help get rid of the IRS.

Springer told the jurors that everything he did was in “good faith” and that they should view the evidence with his beliefs — not theirs — in mind.

“This is about looking out through my eyes,” Springer said. “You might not like what you see through my eyes.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Snoke told the jurors during his opening statement that Bondage Breakers Ministry was not a legitimate charity or a church.

Snoke said Stilley and Springer, both of whom are in their 40s — began working as a team almost 10 years ago to help people accused of violating tax laws.

According to the indictment, Stilley maintained an interest-bearing account, called an Arkansas IOLTA — or Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts — Foundation Trust account, which lawyers use to deposit and hold client funds.

The pair are accused of using the account and various other devices such as cashier’s checks, check-cashing services, money orders and cash to conceal Springer’s actual income and avoid creating the usual records of financial institutions.

Springer is alleged to have told IRS employees that all the funds he received were gifts and donations to his ministry and that he didn’t have any income or provide services for payment.

The indictment lists numerous transactions between Springer and Stilley involving hundreds of thousands of dollars that allegedly flowed through the IOLTA account, including $166,000 paid in August 2005 to buy a motor home and a September 2005 payment of $25,813 to buy a Lexus.

Snoke told the jury that neither Springer nor Stilley has filed an income-tax return since the late 1980s.

The trial before U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot is expected to last two or three weeks.

Besides the conspiracy charge, Springer faces five counts alleging criminal violations of the federal tax laws. Stilley is accused of aiding and abetting Springer in two of those alleged crimes.

[Famspear]

God and I went out to lunch the other day, and we started talking about tax protesters. Springer's name came up, and God told me that He had been feeling devilish one day some years ago, and had given Lindsey that idea about "getting rid of the IRS" because God knew Lindsey would eventually get himself in criminal tax trouble. God said He just wanted to jerk Lindsey's chain because God has always thought Lindsey has always been such a squirrelly jerk. I told God I thought God was pretty perceptive on that point.

God paid for the lunch, by the way.



EDIT: Regarding the lunch that God paid for, let me just say that when you've known God as long as I have, you find that God loves a compliment!

[Judge Roy Bean]

...
Snoke told the jury that neither Springer nor Stilley has filed an income-tax return since the late 1980s. ...

Grrrrrrrr.

[Dezcad]

Seems more like Springer has a disagreement with the tax laws, and not a misunderstanding of the tax laws.

Almost seems like a confession.

[jg]

...
Snoke told the jury that neither Springer nor Stilley has filed an income-tax return since the late 1980s. ...

Grrrrrrrr.

I see no problem with that being part of the prosecutor's opening statement; but it may be simply my lack of understanding.
Would you be so kind as to help translate the comment?

[bmielke]

Did Stilley try to get a seperate trial? I cannot believe he (or anyone) would want to be at the same table (or in the same courtroom) with someone trying the "God Told Me To" Defense. Or is he going to claim Springer is his personal spirtual advisor and he believed he was a prophet of God.

[Judge Roy Bean]

...
Snoke told the jury that neither Springer nor Stilley has filed an income-tax return since the late 1980s. ...

Grrrrrrrr.

I see no problem with that being part of the prosecutor's opening statement; but it may be simply my lack of understanding.
Would you be so kind as to help translate the comment?

Sorry for the confusion - if neither one has filed a tax return in 20-odd years, why aren't they behind bars?

[Gregg]

Can you really say "god told me to do it" in court? I'd think that would be hearsay.

[LPC]

Can you really say "god told me to do it" in court? I'd think that would be hearsay.

Actually, it wouldn't.

Hearsay is evidence of an out-of-court statement introduced for the truth of the matter asserted in the statement. So "God told me the world will end tomorrow" is inadmissible as evidence that the world will end tomorrow, even if you accept as true the testimony that God said it. (I'm leaving out considerations of whether God is available to appear as a witness.)

But "do it" is not an assertion that can be either true or false, so testimony as to the statement is not hearsay.

Whether it is relevant is a different question. (Along with competence, and perhaps blasphemy.)

(Although blasphemy is not a rule of evidence.)

[bmielke]

.

Whether it is relevant is a different question. (Along with competence, and perhaps blasphemy.)

Maybe he figures God has immunity from prosecution and thinks if he can show the jury his orders, as it were, he too would have immunity... or maybe he's just crazy.

[Paul]

(Although blasphemy is not a rule of evidence.)

You're only making it worse for yourself!

[Demosthenes]

Someone (not me) is blogging the trial here:

http://chroniclingtheendofanera.blogspot.com/

His audio postings are exceptionally detailed.

[bmielke]

Someone (not me) is blogging the trial here:

http://chroniclingtheendofanera.blogspot.com/

His audio postings are exceptionally detailed.

Who ever it is he seems like an insider.

[Judge Roy Bean]

Given his history, is it reasonable to believe Springer was stupid enough to ever deal with anyone from the IRS as if he weren't facing a criminal investigation?

[Demosthenes]

Listen to the final tape of Day 5 starting at the 14:30 minute mark. The guy struggles with and ultimately decides not to report on someone big that Springer did that was "morally troubling."

[LPC]

The blogger seems to identify himself as "IMFResearch," who has been a regular on the Lost Horizons forum.

[bmielke]

Listen to the final tape of Day 5 starting at the 14:30 minute mark. The guy struggles with and ultimately decides not to report on someone big that Springer did that was "morally troubling."

Just listened to it what was Lindsay into? Hookers? Drugs? Strippers? Around 18:00 He talks about drinking is that the Moral issue? I would love to know what the moral issue is. Is the exhibit sealed, I saw on his blog that there was a motion but some of the exhibits were sealed.

[Dezcad]

Listen to the final tape of Day 5 starting at the 14:30 minute mark. The guy struggles with and ultimately decides not to report on someone big that Springer did that was "morally troubling."

Audio from later days not only reveals what this was (Lindsey had gone to "adult entertainment web sites"), but the blogger ("Steve") mentions Quatloos a number of times.

Anyone know what Steve's last name may be? He seems to be helping Lindsey and Oscar and has done so in the past.

[LPC]

Audio from later days not only reveals what this was (Lindsey had gone to "adult entertainment web sites"), but the blogger ("Steve") mentions Quatloos a number of times.

Is there a part of the Quatloos web site I'm missing out on?

Although maybe I just don't understand "adult entertainment" nowadays.

True story: After the Monica Lewinsky story broke, my 80 year old father pulled me aside and asked, somewhat embarrassed, if I could explain "phone sex." I told him it was just talking dirty over the telephone. He was relieved.

[LPC]

According to the Mystery Blogger, the government rested its case on Thursday, and Stilley made his opening statement, then called a witness.

The defense shouldn't take more than a couple of days (what is there to say?), and the government might have some rebuttal evidence, so I would closing arguments and jury deliberations before the end of next week.