Felony Charge Dropped Against Vince Edwards

A Los Angeles judge has dismissed a Texas felony theft case against actor Vince Edwards, best known as television’s “Ben Casey,” his attorney said Wednesday.

Attorney Peter Knecht said Municipal Judge Elva Soper dismissed the case against Edwards, 57, at an extradition hearing Monday.

Knecht said the case was dismissed on a motion made by a prosecutor, apparently in part because Edwards had threatened to file suit against authorities for malicious prosecution.

Edwards had been accused of failing to return a $14,000 auto he was given by a Beaumont, Tex., chain of emergency medical clinics, for which he filmed commercials last year.

Edwards, however, said he was simply too busy working on an upcoming movie to return the car to Texas and had offered to pay the owners a fee until he was able to do so.