Al Copeland - Public Controversies

Public Controversies

In 1993, Copeland made an unsuccessful bid for a Louisiana gambling license. The successful bidder, Robert Guidry, later testified that he (Guidry) had bribed then governor Edwin Edwards to secure the license. Eight years later, Guidry and Copeland encountered each other at an upscale restaurant in New Orleans, Morton's The Steakhouse. A melee ensued, involving Copeland, Guidry, and Guidry's sons. Witnesses said that Copeland's then wife (who was six months pregnant) was knocked to the ground. Both she and Copeland, who were celebrating their first wedding anniversary, were hospitalized. The Guidry group spent the night in jail.

Copeland had a very public feud with horror novelist Anne Rice in 1997 regarding Copeland's opening of a restaurant in a previously run-down area of New Orleans. Rice placed a full page ad in the February 7 New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper, calling the restaurant "hideous", "a monstrosity" and "nothing short of an abomination".

Copeland's third marriage ended with significant controversy. The third divorce's original presiding judge, Ronald Bodenheimer, pled guilty to promising a custody deal favorable to Copeland in return for a possible seafood contract and other benefits. Copeland contributed to the Bodenheimer campaign, and, according to Bodenheimer testimony, had personally contacted Bodenheimer regarding the custody matter. Bodenheimer stated that he had been summoned to a home owned by a Copeland business and stated that Copeland told him, "We supported you because you were the kind of guy who would do the right thing. And the right thing is to keep me and Alex together." At the time of his testimony, Bodenheimer was the subject of a significant federal probe. Two Copeland associates, as well as Bodenheimer, went to jail for participating in the conspiracy. Other than the Bodenheimer testimony, Copeland was never personally accused of participating.