Wesley Snipes avoids jail a little longer

Just weeks after a federal appeals court upheld Wesley Snipes' 2008 three-year sentence on misdemeanor counts of failing to file tax returns, Snipes is again trying to avoid prison. The "Blade" actor has filed another motion in court, this time alleging judicial misconduct.

Snipes' initial appeal focused on what he considered to be an "unreasonable" sentence. He believed that he should serve, at most, time on probation. A panel of federal court judges disagreed, paving the way for Snipes to serve time in prison as originally ordered.

The most recent legal action has given Snipes a bit more time to enjoy his freedom. He now doesn't have to report to the Bureau of Prisons on September 2, which was the date allegedly given to Snipes by a U.S. marshal.

Procedurally, what's happening isn't so much a continuation of the legal process as a new direction. Snipes' lawyers have filed motion for a new trial, citing evidence that he has been denied his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights. In case those amendments don't roll off your tongue quite so easily, here's the text of the Fifth Amendment: