Defense for Gov. Edwards Rests, Calls No Witnesses

Defense lawyers in the racketeering and fraud retrial of Gov. Edwin W. Edwards rested their case Friday without calling any witnesses on behalf of the governor and his four co-defendants.

U.S. District Judge Marcel Livaudais, hearing the case for a second time after a December mistrial, set closing arguments for Monday. Lawyers said they expected the jury to begin deliberations Tuesday or Wednesday.

Edwards told reporters he might deliver his own closing argument, but said he would not announce his decision until Monday.

‘Nothing ... to Contradict’

Asked why the defense presented no case, he replied: “There is nothing at all that we need to contradict.” Edwards testified for three days in the first trial.

U.S. Atty. John Volz said the move was not entirely unexpected. But he disagreed with the governor’s assessment of the trial.

“If we didn’t put on anything for them to refute, what has Edwin Edwards been refuting every day down here at these microphones?” Volz said as he stood on the courthouse steps, where participants in the trial have held daily news conferences.

Edwards, his brother Marion and business associates Gus Mijalis, Ronald Falgout and James Wyllie Jr. are accused of using their political influence to gain state certification for hospital and nursing home projects in which they held interests. Their first trial lasted 14 weeks and ended Dec. 18 with a hung jury leaning in favor of acquittal.

When Private Citizen

Edwards has maintained that profits he made on the hospital deals resulted from legitimate business conducted when he was a private citizen between his second and third terms.