New Orleans’ top prosecutor, Jason Williams, is standing trial on federal tax fraud charges. The trial began Monday with jury selection. On Tuesday, the judge sat the jury and opening statements began. The Orleans Parish district attorney maintains he is not guilty, but will face 10 counts of tax fraud. Live updates: You can see live tweets from the courtroom below: Can’t see the tweets? Tap here. Henry Timothy takes the stand: The prosecution’s star witness in Jason Williams’ tax fraud trial took the stand on Wednesday. Williams claims Timothy, a family friend of his former law partner, Nicole Burdett, was hired to do his taxes after he was unsatisfied with his accountant.Timothy admitted in grand jury testimony that he fraudulently prepared Williams and Burdett’s tax returns by improperly inflating their businesses’ expenses. He pled guilty to one federal count of making a false tax return. The terms were not made public.He said on the stand that part of his plea deal was to truthfully testify in court. “If I come here and tell the truth I will get leniency.”Timothy testified that he was not a CPA, and he retired from accounting and began tax preparing in 2010. Timothy said from 2010 to 2020 his business card did not say he was a CPA. He also testified to his own tax crimes, saying that he pleaded guilty to underreporting his own income and that he owed the IRS over $88,000. Timothy said he met Williams in 2010 at his father’s house. He said he agreed to look at amending some of Williams’ past tax returns from 2002 to 2009. Timothy testified that Williams and Burdett did not ask him questions about his professional background, and that Williams expressed he was unhappy with his earlier tax returns. According to Timothy, he used information supplied by Williams to amend returns and charged him $1,000. Timothy testified that he added 28,900 additional expenses on amended returns based on documents given to him. He said he did not ask for additional information to back up the new figure.Judge Africk questioned the prosecution and Timothy on who supplied him with the tax information. Timothy testified that he only ever got tax information from Williams and Burdett. Court went into recess at 1 p.m. for lunch. Opening Statements: The prosecution outlined explosive allegations in their opening statements. Prosecutors say Williams and Burdette were the directors of a tax fraud scheme, accusing them both of cheating on their taxes. The prosecution claims that Williams instructed his criminal defense clients to pay him in cash, and says that cash was “floating all across” his law office. Williams and Burdette’s defense fired back, saying the case is about misplaced trust. The pair’s defense laid blame on their tax preparer, Henry Timothy. The defense said Timothy was a family friend of Burdett’s. They said Williams went to Timothy because he was not happy with the accountant he had. Williams’ team said Burdett was asked to be a business manager and handed over all information to Timothy. The defense said Timothy was filing 1,500 returns a year, and in 2019 went to a financial consultant and learned that Timothy was not a CPA. Jury Selection: A total of 16 jurors were chosen Tuesday afternoon for Williams’ federal tax fraud trial. Twelve jurors were sat by the judge and four alternates were also chosen. The jury is made up of nine women and three men. There are two men alternates and two women alternates. Judge Lance Africk swore in the jury and gave them very specific instructions for the trial. Africk instructed the jury to pay close attention to testimony, and said they are not allowed to take notes. Tax Fraud Charges:Williams is the first elected leader to stand trial while in office since the late 1980s. The felony offenses could mean he would face jail time if convicted of any of the crimes. The bombshell announcement that Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury sent shockwaves across New Orleans. It was summer 2020, and the federal government said Williams wrongfully and knowingly manipulated his tax returns. According to the indictment, Williams and his law partner, Nicole Burdett, who is also indicted on the same charges, conspired to reduce Williams’ tax liability for the 2013 through 2017 tax years by classifying personal expenses as business expenses.The scheme reportedly allowed him to escape paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. Williams is also accused of taking cash payments over $10,000 on three separate occasions and failed to report that money for tax purposes. Williams has said very little on the charges in the last few years other than maintaining his innocence. In 2020, during a WDSU debate, Williams, a Tulane Law School graduate, blamed the charges on a political witch hunt by then President Donald Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr. Barr was in New Orleans that day and was scheduled to give a speech to law enforcement leaders. Barr resigned shortly after the 2020 election, which Trump lost. The charges against Williams remain in place under President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland. The trial has been delayed several times, once as the federal government appealed the ruling and the second after the original trial judge Honorable Marty Feldman died. The case is now assigned to Judge Lance Africk. Africk has ruled that Williams and his defense lawyer, Billy Gibbens, cannot use race or political motivation as a defense as to why Williams was charged. Williams plans to lay blame on his tax preparer Henry Timothy. Timothy has pleaded guilty to other tax fraud crimes and will be a centerpiece of this trial. Williams’ former law partner, Bobby Hjortsberg, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor and is set to testify against his former boss at trial. Williams’ ex-wife is also listed in court records as a potential witness. The federal government is set to bring in experts who specialize in complete tax issues, and their success rate in similar tax cases at trial is reasonable. The federal government has a conviction rate above 90%. Williams now faces 10 charges after the federal government asked the judge to remove one charge dealing with cash payments over $10,000. The trial should last five to seven days. The jury is not expected to be sequestered. About Jason Williams: Williams won the race to become the Orleans Parish District Attorney just under two years ago. Running on a progressive campaign, he preached less jail time and more reforms. He also vowed to prioritize the city’s most violent criminals, not low-level drug offenders. Williams becomes the first sitting elected leader to stand trial while in office in over 30 years. The last, former District Attorney Harry Connick was acquitted on gambling-related charges. Williams, a former Tulane football player, graduated law school at Tulane and immediately started his career as a defense attorney. He handled dozens of high-profile cases and became a familiar face on local television stations. He spoke his mind when he felt it would help his client, but he would also offer legal commentary and was a go-to voice for many hot-button legal issues. In 2008, Williams took his first shot at running for political office. Coincidentally, it was for Orleans Parish District Attorney. Williams finished third behind Ralph Capitelli and Leon Cannizzaro, who would hold the position for 12 years. In 2014, Williams ran for public office for an open seat on the New Orleans City Council. He got into what was a heated race with longtime politician Cynthia Hedge Morrell, defeating the then sitting councilwoman and taking office in the spring of that year. The council is considered a part-time job, as councilmembers can have outside jobs. Williams continues to practice law. He was easily reelected in 2017 and served as a city council president. Williams held the job until he ran for district attorney in 2020. Less than two years after taking office, he is on trial. If convicted, Williams could lose his job. State law says any lawyer convicted of a felony must surrender their law license. All district attorneys are required to be lawyers, so if the jury finds Williams guilty as charged, it could mean he is done as district attorney.
New Orleans’ top prosecutor, Jason Williams, is standing trial on federal tax fraud charges.
The trial began Monday with jury selection.
On Tuesday, the judge sat the jury and opening statements began.
The Orleans Parish district attorney maintains he is not guilty, but will face 10 counts of tax fraud.
Live updates:
You can see live tweets from the courtroom below:
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Can’t see the tweets? Tap here.
Henry Timothy takes the stand:
The prosecution’s star witness in Jason Williams’ tax fraud trial took the stand on Wednesday.
Williams claims Timothy, a family friend of his former law partner, Nicole Burdett, was hired to do his taxes after he was unsatisfied with his accountant.
Timothy admitted in grand jury testimony that he fraudulently prepared Williams and Burdett’s tax returns by improperly inflating their businesses’ expenses. He pled guilty to one federal count of making a false tax return. The terms were not made public.
He said on the stand that part of his plea deal was to truthfully testify in court.
“If I come here and tell the truth I will get leniency.”
Timothy testified that he was not a CPA, and he retired from accounting and began tax preparing in 2010.
Timothy said from 2010 to 2020 his business card did not say he was a CPA.
He also testified to his own tax crimes, saying that he pleaded guilty to underreporting his own income and that he owed the IRS over $88,000.
Timothy said he met Williams in 2010 at his father’s house. He said he agreed to look at amending some of Williams’ past tax returns from 2002 to 2009.
Timothy testified that Williams and Burdett did not ask him questions about his professional background, and that Williams expressed he was unhappy with his earlier tax returns.
According to Timothy, he used information supplied by Williams to amend returns and charged him $1,000.
Timothy testified that he added 28,900 additional expenses on amended returns based on documents given to him. He said he did not ask for additional information to back up the new figure.
Judge Africk questioned the prosecution and Timothy on who supplied him with the tax information.
Timothy testified that he only ever got tax information from Williams and Burdett.
Court went into recess at 1 p.m. for lunch.
Opening Statements:
The prosecution outlined explosive allegations in their opening statements.
Prosecutors say Williams and Burdette were the directors of a tax fraud scheme, accusing them both of cheating on their taxes.
The prosecution claims that Williams instructed his criminal defense clients to pay him in cash, and says that cash was “floating all across” his law office.
Williams and Burdette’s defense fired back, saying the case is about misplaced trust.
The pair’s defense laid blame on their tax preparer, Henry Timothy. The defense said Timothy was a family friend of Burdett’s.
They said Williams went to Timothy because he was not happy with the accountant he had.
Williams’ team said Burdett was asked to be a business manager and handed over all information to Timothy.
The defense said Timothy was filing 1,500 returns a year, and in 2019 went to a financial consultant and learned that Timothy was not a CPA.
Jury Selection:
A total of 16 jurors were chosen Tuesday afternoon for Williams’ federal tax fraud trial.
Twelve jurors were sat by the judge and four alternates were also chosen.
The jury is made up of nine women and three men. There are two men alternates and two women alternates.
Judge Lance Africk swore in the jury and gave them very specific instructions for the trial.
Africk instructed the jury to pay close attention to testimony, and said they are not allowed to take notes.
Tax Fraud Charges:
Williams is the first elected leader to stand trial while in office since the late 1980s.
The felony offenses could mean he would face jail time if convicted of any of the crimes.
The bombshell announcement that Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury sent shockwaves across New Orleans.
It was summer 2020, and the federal government said Williams wrongfully and knowingly manipulated his tax returns.
According to the indictment, Williams and his law partner, Nicole Burdett, who is also indicted on the same charges, conspired to reduce Williams’ tax liability for the 2013 through 2017 tax years by classifying personal expenses as business expenses.
The scheme reportedly allowed him to escape paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.
Williams is also accused of taking cash payments over $10,000 on three separate occasions and failed to report that money for tax purposes.
Williams has said very little on the charges in the last few years other than maintaining his innocence.
In 2020, during a WDSU debate, Williams, a Tulane Law School graduate, blamed the charges on a political witch hunt by then President Donald Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr.
Barr was in New Orleans that day and was scheduled to give a speech to law enforcement leaders.
Barr resigned shortly after the 2020 election, which Trump lost.
The charges against Williams remain in place under President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
The trial has been delayed several times, once as the federal government appealed the ruling and the second after the original trial judge Honorable Marty Feldman died.
The case is now assigned to Judge Lance Africk.
Africk has ruled that Williams and his defense lawyer, Billy Gibbens, cannot use race or political motivation as a defense as to why Williams was charged.
Williams plans to lay blame on his tax preparer Henry Timothy.
Timothy has pleaded guilty to other tax fraud crimes and will be a centerpiece of this trial. Williams’ former law partner, Bobby Hjortsberg, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor and is set to testify against his former boss at trial.
Williams’ ex-wife is also listed in court records as a potential witness.
The federal government is set to bring in experts who specialize in complete tax issues, and their success rate in similar tax cases at trial is reasonable.
The federal government has a conviction rate above 90%.
Williams now faces 10 charges after the federal government asked the judge to remove one charge dealing with cash payments over $10,000.
The trial should last five to seven days.
The jury is not expected to be sequestered.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
About Jason Williams:
Williams won the race to become the Orleans Parish District Attorney just under two years ago.
Running on a progressive campaign, he preached less jail time and more reforms. He also vowed to prioritize the city’s most violent criminals, not low-level drug offenders.
Williams becomes the first sitting elected leader to stand trial while in office in over 30 years.
The last, former District Attorney Harry Connick was acquitted on gambling-related charges.
Williams, a former Tulane football player, graduated law school at Tulane and immediately started his career as a defense attorney.
He handled dozens of high-profile cases and became a familiar face on local television stations.
He spoke his mind when he felt it would help his client, but he would also offer legal commentary and was a go-to voice for many hot-button legal issues.
In 2008, Williams took his first shot at running for political office. Coincidentally, it was for Orleans Parish District Attorney.
Williams finished third behind Ralph Capitelli and Leon Cannizzaro, who would hold the position for 12 years.
In 2014, Williams ran for public office for an open seat on the New Orleans City Council.
He got into what was a heated race with longtime politician Cynthia Hedge Morrell, defeating the then sitting councilwoman and taking office in the spring of that year.
The council is considered a part-time job, as councilmembers can have outside jobs.
Williams continues to practice law.
He was easily reelected in 2017 and served as a city council president.
Williams held the job until he ran for district attorney in 2020.
Less than two years after taking office, he is on trial. If convicted, Williams could lose his job.
State law says any lawyer convicted of a felony must surrender their law license.
All district attorneys are required to be lawyers, so if the jury finds Williams guilty as charged, it could mean he is done as district attorney.
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