Former gambling regulator returns to witness stand in Edwards trial

BATON ROUGE, La. - A former gambling regulator testifying today at Edwin Edwards' federal racketeering trial said the former governor never asked him to do anything illegal to influence the process of licensing the state's riverboat casinos.

Ken Pickering, former chairman of the now-defunct Riverboat Gaming Commission, also testified he had no knowledge of illegal activity surrounding a 1993 meeting when seven casino applicants were granted certificates of preliminary approval.

His testimony was elicited during cross examination by Edwards' lawyer, Daniel Small. Pickering, who was appointed by Edwards, said he has known the former governor for more than two decades.

"In those 24 years, has Edwin Edwards ever told you to do something illegal or improper?" Small asked.

"Absolutely not," Pickering responded.

Pickering was called to testify last week as a prosecution witness.

During his earlier testimony, Pickering discussed the highly anticipated June 18, 1993, commission meeting in which commissioners awarded the certificates of preliminary approval to seven riverboat casino applicants.

Receiving a certificate was an important step in the process to get a riverboat casino license because state police, who awarded the final license, generally reviewed only the applicants who had received certificates.

After reviewing most of the 35 applications for the seven certificates, Pickering said he had chosen a list of seven boats to receive preliminary approval. Before the meeting, Pickering discussed his list with several other commissioners and Edwards, who had said the list "looks good," Pickering testified.

But minutes before the vote was to take place, commissioners Sam Gilliam and Floyd Landry called him into a hallway and told him they planned to introduce their own list of boats to get the certificates, Pickering said.

"They said that list had been approved by the governor," Pickering testified. "They said, 'Well, these are the boats that are going to be approved."'

Pickering said he stormed to the Governor's Mansion, where he found Edwards in his office.

When Pickering began to tell Edwards who had been awarded licenses, Edwards said he already knew, Pickering testified.

Edwards' only concern seemed to be that all seven of the certificates had been awarded when he believed that only six would be given out, Pickering said.

The last certificate, Edwards thought aloud, was to be saved for a land-based casino applicant, Pickering said.

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