Acquitted Edwards co-defendant returns to board

Wednesday, June 21, 2000 | 12:12 p.m.

Ecotry Fuller sat in on a gambling board meeting Tuesday for the first time since last year. He said he had no qualms about his return.

"It's just like any other job," Fuller said.

Fuller, of Shreveport, and Sen. Greg Tarver, D-Shreveport, were the only two defendants acquitted in the four-month racketeering trial of former Gov. Edwin Edwards, his son, Stephen Edwards, and three Edwards associates.

In October 1999, Foster asked Fuller and fellow board member Ralph Perlman to quit attending board meetings when their names came up in the Edwards investigation. Prosecutors contended that Fuller was the source of a confidential state police report on applicants for a riverboat casino license that was delivered to Edward DeBartolo Jr.

Perlman was not indicted. Prosecutors contended that Perlman had lunch and discussed the license with Edwards. DeBartolo, who pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony, said he gave Edwards $400,000 for his help in obtaining the license, which DeBartolo later gave up.

Perlman has not attended board meetings since October. But he continues to work with the board's budget.

"He fools with the budget so I don't have to," said board Chairman Hillary Crain.

Both Fuller and Perlman have continued to receive their paychecks, which total $15,000 per year.

Besides Fuller, board members Sherian Cadoria and Robert Flemming have terms that expire June 30. Trey Williams, a spokesman for the governor, said Foster has given no indication of whether he will replace any of the three. Unless a new appointment is made to replace a board member, that member continues to serve as a lame duck.

"I'm not seeking it, let's put it that way," Fuller said. "After all the stuff I've been through, no, I'm not seeking it."

Crain said he has received no indication from the governor about the expiring terms.