Louisiana lawmaker: I sleep in a casket because I enjoy it

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A Louisiana state senator says he enjoys sleeping in a casket.

The topic of caskets and where Louisiana state senator Greg Tarver sleeps came up in an interview with Shreveport radio station KEEL Friday morning.

At issue is whether he was using his business address as his legal residence to then use to vote in city elections.

He had accused two other politicians of not living in the state senate district in which they sought to serve.  They accused him of doing the same, saying he can’t call a business address his home.

He was asked about his situation first in the interview.

“Many people in business have an address at their business and also lived there,” Tarver explained to the radio station over the phone.  “I was raised up as an undertaker, I lived in the mortuary for approximately 15 years and I worked at the mortuary.  We have living quarters at the mortuary.”

He was asked if he actually slept at his mortuary.

“I’ve slept at the mortuary every once in a while,” Tarver answered.  “Let me be honest with you, once in a while, I sleep in a casket.”

KEEL morning co-host Erin McCarty was stunned by the answer.

“Greg Tarver, you do not sleep in a casket,” McCarty stated in disbelief.

“Once in a while, I do sleep in the casket,” he replied.

He even explained why: “Because I enjoy it.  I’ve been doing it all my life.”

“You’re a freak now,” the morning host said, still stunned by what she was hearing.  “Now we know you are a freak.”

“No, that’s not a freak,” Tarver responded, oblivious to the absurdity of his comments.  “I get to sleep in a casket.  When I worked at the mortuary at noon, once in a while, I slept in a casket.  There is nothing wrong with it.  A casket is just as comfortable as a bed.”

So, naturally, the other host, Robert J. Wright had to ask if he prefers sleeping on a Sleep Number bed or in one of his own caskets.

“I would love a casket,” answered Tarver, with a slight glean of a old-time local salesman in his voice.  “I’ve been an undertaker all my life and a casket is nothing but a bed.”

As for the original question about where he actually calls home, he answered that he had last slept at his office two months ago “because I’m a workaholic” and said he last slept at the mortuary four years ago.

Both locations are at an address inside the city limits of Shreveport.

However, he said he has a domicile at a residential address just outside city limits.

“The law has nothing to do with residence, it’s basically domicile.  I’ve had that [residential address] domicile since 1988,” Tarver explained.  “I have a mailing address at [the business address] and I vote at [the business address].  I do not have a homestead exemption in this parish.  I can vote at any place that I choose in the district.  I live in the district, I am domiciled in the district.”

He said neither of his potential political opponents — Louisiana state representative Barbara Norton or Shreveport attorney Shante Wells — have been domiciled within the district for the required minimum of a year.

Tarver is suing both of them, saying neither are eligible to run against him.

There was a court hearing Friday on the matter.