Judge Rejects Bid to Televise Trial of Louisiana Governor
The trial in August of Gov. Edwin W. Edwards and six other men will not be seen on television.
WLAE-TV was denied permission to broadcast the trial of the seven men charged with racketeering and fraud in an alleged hospital development scheme.
WLAE wrote to U.S. District Judge Marcel Livaudais offering to broadcast the full trial without commercials and to make the videotape available statewide, but Livaudais said no.
“We felt that the people of Louisiana have the right to be spectators at this trial since it is their governor,” said Jerry Romig, WLAE general manager.
“We felt there is a great need for citizens of Louisiana to see and hear all evidence and all defense efforts presented rather than receive only limited news reports, which will unfortunately be the case.”
Edwards, his brother, his nephew and four other men are to be tried in August on charges they sold state permits for hospital development for about $10 million in personal profit.
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