The Nation - News from March 24, 1986

The spring rerun of Louisiana Gov. Edwin W. Edwards’ fraud and racketeering trial involving a $10-million hospital venture begins in New Orleans today. The first trial lasted 14 weeks and ended Dec. 18 with a hung jury. Edwards called it a victory because only one or two of the 12 jurors voted to convict him on any count. The number of charges have been reduced going into the retrial but the basic allegation remains the same: that Edwards, his brother Marion and three others used their political influence to gain state certification for hospital and nursing home construction projects in which they held interests.