FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * HARBERT DISTRESSED INVESTMENT MASTER FUND LTD   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol FRIEDMANS INC [FRDMQ] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O INTERNATIONAL FUND SERVICES, THIRD FL BISHOP SQUARE REDMONDS HILL 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/08/2005 (Street) DUBLIN IRELAND, L2 00000 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) ___ Form filed by One Reporting Person _X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 04/08/2005   P   102,375 A $ 1.25 2,440,025 (1) D   Common Stock 04/08/2005   P   0 A $ 0 2,440,025 (2) I By Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd. Common Stock 04/08/2005   P   2,625 A $ 1.25 61,575 (3) I By Alpha US Sub Fund VI, LLC

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HARBERT DISTRESSED INVESTMENT MASTER FUND LTD C/O INTERNATIONAL FUND SERVICES THIRD FL BISHOP SQUARE REDMONDS HILL DUBLIN IRELAND, L2 00000		X
HMC DISTRESSED INVESTMENT OFFSHORE MANAGER LLC ONE RIVERCHASE PARKWAY SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244		X
HMC INVESTORS LLC ONE RIVERCHASE PARKWAY SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244		X
FALCONE PHILIP 555 MADISON AVE 16TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10022		X
HARBERT RAYMOND J ONE RIVERCHASE PARKWAY SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244		X
LUCE MICHAEL D ONE RIVERCHASE PARKWAY SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35244		X

Signatures

Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd., HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager, LLC, By: HMC Investors, LLC, Managing Member By: /s/ Joel B. Piassick		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager, LLC, By: HMC Investors, LLC, Managing Member By: /s/ Joel Piassick		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
HMC Investors, LLC By: /s/ Joel Piassick		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ Philip Falcone		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ Raymond J. Harbert		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ Michael D. Luce		04/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	These securities are owned by Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd., which is a Reporting Person.
(2)	These securities may be deemed to be beneficially owned by HMC Distressed Investment Offshore Manager, L.L.C. ("HMC Management"), the investment manager of Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd., HMC Investors, L.L.C., its managing member ("HMC Investors"), Philip Falcone, a member of HMC Management and the portfolio manager of Harbert Distressed Investment Master Fund, Ltd., Raymond J. Harbert, a member of HMC Investors, and Michael D. Luce, a member of HMC Investors. Each such Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.
(3)	These securities may be deemed to be beneficially owned by HMC Investors, Philip Falcone, who is the portfolio manager of Alpha US Sub Fund VI, LLC, Raymond J. Harbert and Michael D. Luce. Each such Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the reported securities except to the extent of his or its pecuniary interest therein, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that such Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of the securities for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.

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