CongressionalBadBoys.com | home | William Janklow William Janklow Republican-South Dakota (2003-2004) Update:  Jan. 22, 2007:  Janklow emerged from manslaughter probation with a clean record, which means he can now resume his law license, and--look out!--he can drive again.   The Honorable William Janklow, Republican from South Dakota, hard-charging, take-no-prisoners politician had been the state's Attorney General, then Governor for four terms, then in 2002 was elected to Congress.  He resigned from Congress on January 20, 2004. On August 16, 2003, Janklow, 64, a notorious speeder, ran a stop sign at nearly 70 miles per hour, directly into the path of a motorcyclist, Randolph (Randy) E. Scott, 55, a well-liked farmer from Hardwick, Minnesota.  Janklow had received more than a dozen speeding tickets over a 10-year period, and had gotten off regularly without a ticket once state police found out he was behind the wheel. On the accident and events afterwards, click on The Accident and Its Aftermath, by Cara Hetland and Mark Steil, of Minnesota Public Radio (Jan. 21, 2004) Left, Randy Scott   In December 2003, Janklow was convicted of speeding, running a stop sign, reckless driving, and second-degree manslaughter.  For those four offenses, he could have received up to 10 years in prison, 14 months in jail, and up to $11,400 in fines.  But he was sentenced to just 100 days in the county jail, plus pay fines of more than $5,000 for his incarceration, and put on probation for three years, during which time Janklow couldn't drive.  Cost to Moody County, South Dakota, taxpayers to put on the manslaughter trial:  $62,000.  Click here for story in Rapid City, S.D., Journal. For more information on the sentencing, click on Janklow Sentenced to 100 Days in Jail, from CNN. (Jan. 22, 2004) "Bill Janklow speeds when he drives.  He shouldn't, but he does.  And when he gets a ticket, he pays it.  If someone told me I was going to jail for two days for speeding, my driving habits would change.  I can pay the ticket but  I don't want to go to jail." --  Bill Janklow (1999)   [For other pearls of wisdom, check the Quote Board]. Janklow was released from county jail on May 17, 2004.    The C.B.B. Reality Test:  If some average Joe, who had a record of reckless driving, had been speeding, slammed his car into a motorcycle ridden by Congressman Janklow (or any other Congressman, for that matter), and killed him, would that guy get 100 days in jail?  Perhaps more, you think?   The Jailbird Count:  100 days in the county jail.   Convicted Of:  speeding, running a stop sign, reckless driving, and second-degree manslaughter   The C.B.B. Spin:  Okay Bill, what's your excuse:  I didn't take my insulin shot in the morning and hadn't eaten all day.  The result, low blood sugar count--hypoglycemia.  Bill's lawyer said he couldn't be guilty of manslaughter because that requires proof of a "conscious disregard," and Janklow, thanks to his hypoglycemia, was "confused" and "mixed up."  The jury didn't buy it, and the prosecutors laughed at "the goofy hypoglycemia defense."  See T. R. Reid, "Jury Finds Janklow Guilty," Washington Post (Dec. 9, 2003).