Former Players Lake Charles consultant to testify in Edwards trial

Natalie Gott

Monday, Feb. 21, 2000 | 1:31 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - Defense attorneys in Edwin Edwards' federal racketeering trial will get their chance to question a former attorney for Players Lake Charles casino when court reconvenes Tuesday after a three-day weekend.

Edwards, his son, Stephen, state Sen. Greg Tarver and four others are accused of manipulating the state's riverboat casino licensing process. Their trial started Jan. 10.

Attorney Patrick Madamba, who testified Friday, was the first witness in the Players' Lake Charles part of the trial. Players International Inc., which also owns casinos in Missouri and Illinois, was forced out of the Louisiana gambling business this year because of its involvement in the case.

The testimony from Madamba helps prosecutors set the stage for the testimony of Rick Shetler, who pleaded guilty in 1998 to commit extortion in this case.

Shetler, who is expected to testify sometime this week, said he funneled about $550,000 in furniture, appliances and a car to the Edwardses. Shetler, a longtime friend of Stephen Edwards, purchased a $24,000 Chevrolet Suburban and left it at Edwards' condominium in return for Edwards' help in allowing Players to temporarily maintain a monopoly in Lake Charles, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said they will prove that Stephen Edwards forced Players to hire Shetler as a consultant to get its casino license approved and demanded as much as $600,000 to guarantee Players a monopoly in the Lake Charles area.

Shetler told Madamba in July 1994 that he could ask Stephen Edwards to help Players if the casino was willing to pay Shetler what he wanted, Madamba said.

Madamba said he was concerned about that statement and similar ones that Shetler made about keeping a monopoly in Lake Charles, but really believed that Shetler was just posturing for more money.

Madamba said Players hired Stephen Edwards after Players purchased Star Casino, a New Orleans riverboat that Players moved to Lake Charles for its second casino, in 1995. Stephen Edwards was paid $15,000 a month, but did little work, Madamba said.

Both Shetler and Edwards were fired in early 1996, Madamba said.