A judge has said that actor Wesley Snipes may have to waive a claim that he received ineffective counsel as jury selection in the star's tax trial reached a conclusion.

Associated Press reports that Snipes had employed two lawyers for his defence, but dismissed both of them later on, claiming that he received ineffective counsel. US District Judge William Terrell Hodges agreed to delay the trial on these grounds, but called it a ploy.

Snipes has since rehired one of the lawyers, Daniel Meachum, a move that did not sit well with Hodges, who said he would not entertain any arguments of ineffective counsel if Meachum stayed on the case.

Snipes and two co-defendants were charged in an October 2006 indictment with fraudulently claiming $11m (£5.62m) in refunds on 1996 and 1997 income taxes already paid. The star of the 'Blade' trilogy and other films also was charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through 2004.

Opening arguments are set to go ahead on Wednesday after two days of jury selection. 60 potential jurors were questioned before five men and 11 women were chosen.

Further reading:

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Wesley Snipes faces court over unpaid tax bills