Jazz official recounts Johnson’s boasts in Edward’s trial

Natalie Gott

Wednesday, March 8, 2000 | 2:14 a.m.

BATON ROUGE, La. - As he repeatedly boasted of his friendship with then-Gov. Edwin Edwards in 1994, contractor Bobby Johnson demanded 12.5 percent interest in a riverboat casino project that was seeking a license from state police, a former casino executive testified Wednesday.

Mark Bradley, former vice president of operations for Jazz Enterprises, said Johnson first contacted him in February 1994. The call was ostensibly about land Johnson wanted to sell to Jazz near the company's proposed casino site.

However, "the meat and potatoes of the conversation was his association and his relationship with governor Edwards," Bradley, a government witness, told the jury.

Johnson started out demanding 7.5 percent interest in Jazz's proposed casino, then upped the demand to 12.5 percent, along with a requirement that his land be purchased by Jazz, Bradley said. Prosecutors have said Johnson's price for the land was $400,000.

Bradley said Jazz officials had no intention of granting Johnson's demands, but felt they could not reject them outright because of Johnson's political connections.

"I couldn't just slam the door. I truly believed this man was connected to the mansion," Bradley said. "I truly did. I truly believed the mansion was controlling the process."

Johnson, Edwards, Edwards' son Stephen and four others have been on trial since Jan. 10. They are accused in a series of bribery and extortion schemes allegedly launched to influence the licensing of riverboat casinos.

Jazz Enterprises eventually won a license in 1994 for what became the Belle of Baton Rouge. Prosecutors, however, say Johnson's demands amounted to extortion and that Johnson was acting as a front man for Edwards.

Bradley said he contacted the FBI after his first talks with Johnson and agreed to tape telephone conversations and wear a hidden recording device.