A Hoover, Alabama accountant was http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?... [1] " target="_blank">acquitted of nine counts of tax evasion and filing fraudulent personal and business state income tax returns after telling his story of a computer virus to a sympathetic jury.

State prosecutors accused Eugene Pitts, 44, of underreporting income in 1997, 1998, and 1999. While Mr. Pitts' accounting firm, Pitts, Daniels, & Co., grossed more than $1 million during those years, the numbers on Mr. Pitts' tax returns for the same period did not bear that out.

Mr. Pitts agreed in court that there were errors on his tax returns, but he http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1061889516134500.xml?birmi... [2] "" target="_blank">blamed a computer virus for the incorrect figures. Prosecutors noted that the alleged virus apparently did not affect client tax returns prepared on the same computer. After a three-hour deliberation, the jury in the Montgomery County Circuit Court found Mr. Pitts innocent on all charges.

Had Mr. Pitts been found guilty, he would have faced a maximum sentence of 33 years in prison and $900,000 in fines.

Meanwhile, the Alabama state revenue officers disallowed certain gas and travel deductions totaling $26,023 for the same time period. Mr. Pitts argued that he had been planning on amending his tax returns to remove the deduction but was waiting to do so until the court issues were settled.

This is not the first time Mr. Pitts has been in trouble. Earlier this year, the accountant was indicted on charges of theft of property and ethics violations for work performed as an employee of the Alabama Public Service Commission at Prichard, Alabama. Those charges are still pending.