Supreme Court suspends Edwardses’ law licenses

Wednesday, July 5, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

The law licenses of former Gov. Edwin Edwards and his son have been suspended following their convictions in a casino licensing extortion scheme.

The Louisiana Supreme Court took the action under state bar rules requiring the suspension of a law license for anyone convicted of a felony. Edwards and his son, Stephen Edwards, said they voluntarily signed suspension agreements after they were convicted in federal court in May.

"Those are the rules and we abide by the rules," the former governor said.

The suspension will not affect Edwards' plan to represent himself in his upcoming insurance fraud trial. State and federal laws allow someone to represent himself without an attorney.

"It's no big deal for me because I wasn't really practicing," Edwards said.

The suspension shuts down Stephen Edwards' law practice at least temporarily.

"If I've got to dig ditches, I'll do that," Stephen Edwards said. "I have five children to feed. I'll pay my bills somehow."

He said several friends have offered him positions in the oil and construction businesses, but he has not accepted a job because he may go to prison.

The licenses will remain suspended until the case plays itself out in court. If the convictions are overturned, both could seek to have their licenses reinstated.

Edwards, his son, ex-governor's aide Andrew Martin, Eunice cattleman Cecil Brown and Baton Rouge businessman Bobby Johnson were convicted in May of trying to manipulate the awarding of state riverboat casino licenses. State Sen. Greg Tarver, D-Shreveport, and Louisiana Gaming Control Board member Ecotry Fuller were acquitted.

In August, Edwin Edwards, Insurance Commissioner Jim Brown and two other men are scheduled to stand trial on federal insurance fraud charges. The four are accused of conspiring to engineer a sweetheart deal for insolvent Cascade Insurance Co.