Survivor winner Hatch denied new trial

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Richard Hatch, who was convicted of tax evasion after winning a $1 million prize on the CBS reality show "Survivor," was denied a new trial in Providence, R.I.

Hatch and his lawyer Michael Minns claim in an appeal filed Dec. 7 that one of the producers of "Survivor" told him that he would not be liable for the taxes if he won the jackpot. Federal prosecutors filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals on Jan. 5 arguing that Hatch and his lawyers had several opportunities to mention this during his trial, but never did, the Providence Journal reported Saturday.

Prosecutors claim that while Hatch was on the witness stand, Minns refused to ask Hatch any questions related to Hatch's conversations with producers unless such questions were put in context. Prosecutors also argued that Hatch's conversations with the CBS producer were not grounds for a new trial.

Hatch was convicted in January 2006 and is currently serving a 51-month sentence at a minimum-security facility in West Virginia, the Journal reported.