He's baaaack....

[Windjammer]

Copied this from Roadracingworld.com, Breaking News:

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From a press release issued by AMA:

AMA expresses outrage over reinstatement of Janklow's law license

The American Motorcyclist Association has expressed its outrage over a decision by the South Dakota Supreme Court to reinstate the law license of former Congressman Bill Janklow, who was convicted of felony manslaughter in the traffic death of a motorcyclist in 2003.

The state Supreme Court ordered on January 5 that Janklow get his law license back on February 15. Janklow, 66, a former four-term South Dakota governor before he was elected the state's sole congressman, lost his right to practice law when he was convicted of second-degree manslaughter, reckless driving, speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign in the death of motorcyclist Randy Scott, 55. Scott was killed in August 2003 when the car Janklow was driving ran a stop sign on a rural road in South Dakota at a speed estimated at about 70 mph, charging into the path of Scott's motorcycle.

Janklow could have faced up to 11 years in prison for the multiple charges. But in the end, a South Dakota judge sentenced him to only 100 days. In addition, he paid fines and fees of $11,000, lost his law license, resigned from Congress, was put on probation and lost his driver's license for three years.

In 2004, another court ruled that Janklow could escape financial liability for Scott's death under a congressional immunity statute. Janklow said that he was returning home from an event related to his duties as a congressman at the time of the crash.

"Motorcyclists across the country are shocked, outraged and dismayed that a convicted felon would be allowed to get his law license back and practice law," said Edward Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. "This sends the message that there are few consequences for the death of a motorcyclist.

"It's a sad day not only for the Scott family, but for all riders," Moreland said.

Because it involved a federal lawmaker, the Janklow case drew national media attention. But the AMA has seen dozens of cases in other states in which car drivers get off with light fines, and often no jail time, even after facing felony charges for causing the deaths of others on the highway.

In response to that dangerous trend, the AMA founded its Justice for All campaign, designed to increase penalties for those who injure or kill vulnerable road users. For more information on that program, go to www.AMADirectlink.com/justice.

The American Motorcyclist Association, founded in 1924, is a non-profit organization with more than 250,000 members. The Association's purpose is to pursue, protect and promote the interests of motorcyclists, while serving the needs of its members. For more information, visit the AMA website at www.AMADirectlink.com, or call 1-800-AMA-JOIN.

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All I can say is, if you ride near SD, watch yer six. This guy is above the law, and seems to have little regard for other's safety.

 

[Thug]

******* scum bag *******! Someone Tbone that prick please! :angry:

 

[Rogue]

Murder is legal in the USA, you just have to have $$$$ or murder a rider (or both)! :angry01: :angry02: :angry03: :angry2:

 

[madmike2]

Or be one of "the annointed". But, let's not have this degenerate into a political thread. I'll bet he can get re-elected in his state, too. One more reason to never ride there. Screw Sturgis! If all of the H.D./V-twin cruiser guys had guts, they'd refuse to ride where on of their own was killed and the killer got off with a mere hand-slap.

 

[sparky3008]

Question for all:

What types of convictions have you seen to normal Joe's for killing motorcyclist/car passengers? I would venture to say most people don't get much of a punishment anyway.

Second how many people loose their ability to do their jobs after a car accident involved killing?

Third I think people need to start looking at cons as having served their time and be treated as citizens again. If we are unwilling to do this then they are forced to go back to one thing to survive, crime. Otherwise parole should be eliminated if all they can ever hope to do is flip burgers at MacD.

 

[radman]

Question for all:What types of convictions have you seen to normal Joe's for killing motorcyclist/car passengers? I would venture to say most people don't get much of a punishment anyway.

Second how many people loose their ability to do their jobs after a car accident involved killing?

Third I think people need to start looking at cons as having served their time and be treated as citizens again. If we are unwilling to do this then they are forced to go back to one thing to survive, crime. Otherwise parole should be eliminated if all they can ever hope to do is flip burgers at MacD.

He did a hunnert days, hardly what anyone here thought would or should be a proper sentence (and isn't for the majority of people sentenced here for this very crime). He lied and fabricated and refused to acknowledge his guilt till the very end when sentencing came around. He is an attorney. Attorneys that lie are disbarred in this world, but not his. The word on the streets here is that he will be allowed to atone for his sins before he gets three to the head courtesy of Randys buds.

 

[sparky3008]

Didn't know anything about the case that's why I asked.

So being disbarred really should have come from the lie not the killing...

 

[redgum]

Cases like this stink to high heaven. It would be interesting to see the stats on decisions for second degree manslaughter compared with the social/economic position of defndants.

But at the end of the day, whether it was a motor cyclist, pedestrian, push bike rider, passenger or car driver that died at the hands of this guy is less the point than the fact that an attourney and congressman should recieve a more favourable outcome than anyone else.

 

[sparky3008]

Cases like this stink to high heaven. It would be interesting to see the stats on decisions for second degree manslaughter compared with the social/economic position of defndants.
But at the end of the day, whether it was a motor cyclist, pedestrian, push bike rider, passenger or car driver that died at the hands of this guy is less the point than the fact that an attourney and congressman should recieve a more favourable outcome than anyone else.

True, I am just wondering really how far off he really compares.

I have a neighbor who fell asleep and ran over and killed someone one night years ago. It is manslaughter but don't recall him really getting much punishment for it.

Also having been in the trucking industry a while either driving or towing them I constantly was around truckers that had fallen asleep and killed and again the time didn't seem extreme.

 

[radman]

I have a neighbor who fell asleep and ran over and killed someone one night years ago. It is manslaughter but don't recall him really getting much punishment for it.

That was an accident, pure and simple. Janklow blew a stop sign while doing 75 on a county road. He had bragged in the past about how often he did this very thing (speed), and had a reputation for it. He never got ticketed because, hey, he was who he was. Post accy, when the excuses started flying, he claimed it was a diabetic low that was to fault. I am diabetic, and have experienced this very thing, crashing a car in the proccess. The police found me 1 mile away from the car, which ended up down a farm access road after hurtling a drainage ditch (as in airborne), carved up and totally incoherent. Truth is, when in a diabetic low to that degree, there is absolutely no doubt as to ones condition. I remembered nothing about what had happened, 0, zip. Janklow somehow remembered much of what had happened, then suddenly didn't. He is so full of **** his eyes are brown. :angry:

 

[sparky3008]

I have a neighbor who fell asleep and ran over and killed someone one night years ago. It is manslaughter but don't recall him really getting much punishment for it.

That was an accident, pure and simple. Janklow blew a stop sign while doing 75 on a county road. He had bragged in the past about how often he did this very thing (speed), and had a reputation for it. He never got ticketed because, hey, he was who he was. Post accy, when the excuses started flying, he claimed it was a diabetic low that was to fault. I am diabetic, and have experienced this very thing, crashing a car in the proccess. The police found me 1 mile away from the car, which ended up down a farm access road after hurtling a drainage ditch (as in airborne), carved up and totally incoherent. Truth is, when in a diabetic low to that degree, there is absolutely no doubt as to ones condition. I remembered nothing about what had happened, 0, zip. Janklow somehow remembered much of what had happened, then suddenly didn't. He is so full of **** his eyes are brown. :angry:

One of my best friends is diabetic and has the full time insulin pump/monitor on his side. Believe me I know what you describe with the attacks. My friend is on disability and battling with his eye sight. He is one of those guys that in his youth no one messed with, he and his brother both were very good fighters. Now he can't work, suffered with loosing function in his legs for about a year etc.

Anyway, sounds like this guy is a true dirt bag...

Too bad...

 

[madmike2]

The guy is a dirtbag! He has Bart Simpson Syndrome: "Hey, I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do and you can't prove I did it, so I didn't do it!"

Since the courts and the congress allowed him to use the "reason" as being on congressional business, that may mean that the wife or children cannot sue Janklow in civil court, because he would be exempt from lawsuits during the pursuit of his civil duties.

My best friend of 20+ years was killed on his Goldwing 3 years ago. His killer was recently sentenced to 5 yrs in prison, but not just for the accident. IIRC, the charges were 2nd degree manslaughter, felony hit and run. The bulk of the penalty was for the felony, not the killing. Plus the perpetrator P.O.'d the judge when it finally came out he was on parole and this is his 2nd strike, so I think the judge tacked on for contempt because the perp wasn't straight up with the judge. Sick, I know!

 

[donaldb]

Maybe all those Sturgis "bikers" should boycott this year since the accident involved one of their brethren. Hit them where it hurts--in the pocketbook! Send them all down here to Mississippi. Everybody knows we could use the $ particularly following Katrina. We have a Sturgis MS and every August there is a rally held there, affectionally referred to as "Little Sturgis" and it grows every year. Quickly becoming one of the largest southeastern annual rally's (not to compare w/Datona). We are pretty good about taking care of the motorcycle community down here, there are very few car vs. motorcycle type accidents in our state. Some good ole southern hospitality is zakery what the Dr. ordered. After a year or two of lost income maybe South Dakota will see the error of their ways and put that looser back in jail where he belongs. :angry:

 

[Califcruiser]

We were considering doing the Sturgis run this year but now it's a no go! I am officially boycotting the event. I remember when the story first aired and how the state said they would prosecute this guy to the fullest. Well if this is their way of prosecuting to the fullest I want nothing to do with riding in their state.

Yes it was a tragic accident but given this guys driving record and the fact that he never showed any remorse and blamed the accident on the rider, no way will I be going to South Dakota on a motorcycle anytime soon.

 

[Centerline]

Or, how about the absolute slaughter condoned/encouraged in the U.S. for decades caused by drunk drivers. Drunk-drive-kill-dry out, rinse repeat.