The Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) — The government has decided against prosecuting Lola Bowie, the last defendant in an indictment alleging vote buying in Jonesville.

Bowie had been scheduled for trial earlier this month with seven other defendants, including Jonesville Mayor Billy Edwards and Jonesville Police Chief Clyde Walker.

But after Bowie’s attorney died, Bowie’s trial was severed from the others to give her new lawyer more time to prepare.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office planned to set a trial date for Bowie after completion of the trial of the other seven defendants. But after a federal jury found the other seven defendants innocent on all charges, prosecutors decided it wasn’t worthwhile to bring Bowie to trial.

That left Linda Curry the only defendant convicted in the case. Her conviction came in a plea bargain where she agreed to testify against the others.

Curry, who already had two forgery convictions, was fined $1,000 and placed on probation after pleading guilty to conspiring to commit election fraud.

Curry testified she bought votes with cash passed to her by Edwards’ campaign workers. But Curry insisted she never told anyone to vote for Edwards.

Of the 15 witnesses who admitted being paid to vote, almost all testified they voted for Edwards’ opponent.

Edwards and the others had been accused of voter fraud to ensure Edwards’ 1998 re-election.