Bill Janklow loses manslaughter appeal

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PIERRE, S.D., Feb. 24 (UPI) -- South Dakota's highest court Thursday rejected an appeal by former Gov. and congressman Bill Janklow of manslaughter and reckless driving convictions.

Janklow was charged with failure to stop at a stop sign, speeding, reckless driving and second-degree manslaughter in an Aug. 16, 2003, collision with Randolph Scott, a motorcyclist killed in the wreck.

In December of that year, a jury convicted Janklow, who then paid a fine and served 100 days in jail while he appealed the imposition of more time behind bars for the second-degree manslaughter and reckless driving convictions, saying there was not enough evidence at trial to convict him.

Last spring a lower South Dakota court rejected that appeal. The four-term governor, now 65, then appealed to the South Dakota Supreme Court, which sided with the lower court.

"We find no abuse of discretion by the trial court judge in refusing to stay execution and grant bail pending the outcome of the underlying appeal," the Supreme Court ruled.