With a legacy of four terms and over a dozen criminal investigations, ex-Louisiana Governor Edwin W. Edwards became one of the most storied figures in late twentieth-century American politics. A flamboyant personality, Edwards, whose nickname was "Fast Eddy," contributed energetically to his own larger-than-life reputation. As he shrugged off grand jury probes and two corruption trials through the 1980s, Edwards seemed untouchable. But in May of 2000, federal prosecutors won a conviction on numerous racketeering charges that left the 72-year old politician facing the possibility of life in prison.

Born on August 7, 1927, to Cajun sharecropper parents near Marksville, Louisiana, Edwards was a quick-witted, bilingual youth. Graduating from Louisiana State University law school at the age of 21, he put his French skills to work in private practice representing Cajun clients. At 30, his rapid ascent in politics began on the Crowley City Council. He next won election to the state senate...