Highlights from Wednesday’s testimony in Edwards trial

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000 | 9:17 a.m.

Here are some highlights from Ricky Shetler's testimony on Wednesday.

SUMMARY: A longtime friend of former Gov. Edwin Edwards' son, Stephen, said every time he received a payment for his consultant work at Players Lake Charles Casino, he would split the check with Stephen Edwards.

Former casino consultant Ricky Shetler said Stephen Edwards often gave him advice on how to negotiate with Players for more money and helped Shetler arrange meetings for Players with prominent people, Shetler said.

Stephen Edwards also attended a meeting with Players' executives to help negotiate Shelter's salary, Shetler said. Stephen Edwards told the men that for $600,000, they could have a monopoly in Lake Charles, Shetler said.

OLD FRIENDS: Shetler testified that he met Stephen Edwards when Shetler moved to Crowley in high school.

"He was my first friend that I met," Shetler said.

The two played football together and were both interested in boats and cars, Shetler testified. They remained friends when Stephen Edwards was sent to military school and while they were at different colleges, Shetler said.

Shetler said he was admitted to a chemical dependency unit in Baton Rouge for a drug and alcohol problem in 1981.

"Stephen came every chance they would allow," Shetler said.

Two men went through divorces at about the same time, Shetler said, and leaned on each other for support.

"There's no doubt, Stephen has been a good friend to me," Shetler said.

VANS: At the end of 1992, Stephen Edwards was driving around in a newly-leased van, courtesy of RDS, Shetler testified. RDS was Shetlers' company, which operated Shetler's pizza restaurant in Lake Charles.

Shetler said he did not think much about letting Stephen Edwards drive the car because they had exchanged vehicles in the past.

"Things were coming down the road and we were going to be making some money," Shetler said.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "We're going to make a lot of money this term, this time around," Shetler reported Stephen Edwards as saying in reference to Edwin Edwards' taking his fourth and final term in office.

THURSDAY'S TESTIMONY: Prosecutors will continue questioning Ricky Shetler when court resumes Thursday.