CROSSING THE LINE

Manslaughter Count Filed Against a Congressman (MICHAEL JANOFSKY, August 30, 2003, NY Times)

Representative Bill Janklow, who served four terms as governor of South Dakota before winning election to Congress last year, was charged in his home state today with second-degree manslaughter because of a traffic fatality there two weeks ago.

That felony charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, threatens to end a long and distinguished career that has made Mr. Janklow, a 63-year-old Republican, one of the most prominent politicians in the state's history. Before the accident, South Dakota Republicans were urging him to run next year for the Senate seat held by the minority leader, Tom Daschle. [...]

The prosecutor in the case, William J. Ellingson, the Moody County state's attorney, ruled out a charge of vehicular homicide, more serious than the manslaughter charge, after tests determined that no drugs or alcohol had been involved. In similar cases, Mr. Ellingson said, the manslaughter count has resulted in successful prosecutions.

Somehow, we draw a line between speeding, which it seems safe to say nearly every driver does, and running stop signs, which is unthinkable to most. And God help him if he'd been drinking. But he does deserve jail time and it wouldn't be surprising to see him resign from Congress before then. Posted by Orrin Judd at August 30, 2003 6:13 AM