Jim Bakker's Sentence Trimmed By 27 Years

A CHARLOTTE, N.C. - A federal judgetrimmed 27 years off Jim Bakker's initial prison sentence today, sentencing the former television evangelist to 18 years.

The 51-year-old PTL founder has spent nearly two years in prison in Rochester, Minn., after being convicted of fraud in 1989.

In February, a federal appeals court upheld his conviction but threw out the 45-year sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Robert Potter, ruling the judge had made intemperate remarks during the sentencing.

Neither Bakker nor his family showed emotion as Judge Graham Mullen handed down the sentence. But moments before, Bakker had made an emotional plea, asking forgiveness from followers and family.

"I choose to accept full responsibility for the actions for which I am now being sentenced. I do not blame anyone else or minimize my responsibility as pastor and president of Heritage USA," he said, referring to the religious theme park he founded.

"There has not been a day gone by in which I have not grieved for the partners of Heritage USA. PTL did not belong to me, it belonged to the partners.

"I ask all that I have hurt to please forgive me. I have asked Heavenly God to please forgive me and now I ask this court for human forgiveness," Bakker said.

His wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, who was seated on the front row alongside her daughter, Tammy Sue Chapman, wiped away tears as he concluded.

In the courtroom, prosecutors spent almost four hours repeating the highlights of the Bakker's 1989 trial. They played videotapes of Bakker's former TV show, including one that showed him crying and pleading for money.

The Bakkers' faithful supporters were there, too. They cheered when Jim Bakker stepped from a U.S. Marshal's Service van in shackles at the back of the courthouse. They cheered again when Tammy Bakker arrived. Tammy smiled and blew kisses to supporters.

About 70 supporters, from as far away as Michigan, Florida and Canada, wore yellow ribbons and called for Jim Bakker's immediate release.

Prosecutors Jerry Miller and Deborah Smith reminded Judge Mullen that while Bakker was begging for money, he and Tammy lived a lavish lifestyle that included a $5,000 Christmas tree, two Rolls-Royces and a helicopter hired to lift draperies up to the window of a Florida condo. Prosecutors also reminded Mullen that despite repeated warnings about the ministry's grave financial condition, Bakker oversold partnerships and accepted bonuses of $200,000.

Smith urged Mullen to give Bakker a "significant" sentence. "This is the largest single mail fraud prosecution in the history of the nation," she said. "It's very important that this court's sentence reflect that."

Defense attorneys Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard law professor, and Harold Bender of Charlotte argued that Bakker never meant to defraud anyone.