In a motion filed Thursday, Edwards' attorney asked Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Susan Schaeffer to order a separate trial for Edwards, in part because it might be the only way to introduce Lyons as a defense witness. Lyons, president of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc., and Edwards, a former NBC employee, are accused of laundering millions of dollars through secret accounts to finance a lavish lifestyle. Even if the two are tried together, Lyons still is free to offer testimony helping Edwards. But the danger could be great. For one, prosecutors would be free to cross-examine Lyons to elicit testimony that could harm his own case.
All defendants have a constitutional right to decline to give testimony in their own defense.
Attorneys for Lyons and Edwards could not be reached for comment Friday. Prosecutors with knowledge of the case also could not be reached. Knows details of conversations between Edwards and representatives of the Loewen Group, a large Canadian funeral company. Loewen and the NBC entered into an agreement for the NBC to market Loewen products. Lyons brokered a deal between Globe and the NBC through which Globe would market life insurance to Baptists.