Janklow Cries While Testifying on Crash

The Argus Leader ^ | Dec. 07, 2003 | By CARSON WALKER

[Sockdologer]

FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) -- Rep. Bill Janklow took the stand as the final defense witness at his manslaughter trial, crying as he talked about the motorcyclist who died in the traffic accident he is accused of causing.

The former governor and state attorney general said Saturday he remembers nothing about the crash at a rural crossroads on Aug. 16. He admitted speeding, but responded "I don't know" or "I don't recall" to many of his lawyer's questions about events before and after the accident.

Janklow, 64, is charged with second-degree manslaughter, running a stop sign, reckless driving and speeding in the crash that killed Randy Scott, 55, of Hardwick, Minn., when Janklow's Cadillac crossed the path of Scott's motorcycle.

Scott, 55, was killed instantly. Janklow suffered a broken hand and a head injury.

Saturday was the sixth day of the trial. Closing arguments are expected on Monday.

Janklow said he had tried several times to meet with Scott's relatives but they weren't ready.

"I have to meet with them," he said, crying.

Prosecutors argue that Janklow made a conscious decision to speed and ignore the stop sign.

When questioned by a prosecutor, he acknowledged that he does speed and that he has run stop signs, but he said he would not speed through a blind intersection on purpose.

The defense has tried to establish that Janklow, a diabetic, was suffering the effects of low blood sugar before the crash.

Janklow testified that a tight schedule had kept him from eating, even though he knew the risk of taking his insulin and not eating.

"I just plain forgot," he said. "I've asked myself that 10 million times since this day."

He denied running a stop sign nearly a year ago at the same intersection and nearly hitting the truck of a woman who testified earlier in the trial. The woman said she didn't pursue charges against Janklow because he was governor at the time.

He also said he wakes up at night thinking about the August accident.

"I wake up and just sweat. You can't imagine what this is like," Janklow said. He said he has wished "a thousand times" that he had eaten before the wreck.

Janklow's lawyer introduced a bottle of the high-blood pressure drug Atenolol on Saturday and a prescription for it dated July 25.

Janklow has said he was taking the drug, which can hide the symptoms of low blood sugar, but stopped using it on his own sometime after the accident.

Hospital lists of his medication after the accident do not include Atenolol, and a doctor testified Saturday that he found no indication in Janklow's records he was on the drug the day of the crash.

The evidence drew the ire of deputy prosecutor Roger Ellyson, who accused defense lawyer Ed Evans of not sharing it earlier.

Evans wants to show that Janklow suffered the diabetic reaction but did not feel the symptoms because he was on the heart pill.

If convicted, the former four-term governor and only congressman from South Dakota could face up to 10 years in prison and a House ethics committee investigation

[bandleader]

God Almight,I've got to get up pretty early!!!!!!!

[Monty22]

Hey, I can't drive I've been 6 months seizure free now. Feb 5 is my date.

The real problem was that instead of getting treatment the first time, the cops threw me in jail for DUI. I got out, not knowing what happened, and then a few months later had another one.

This better cop took me to the hospital instead.

[VOA]

Looks like Janklow is going with the best fig-leaf he (and his lawyer) can construct.

I wasn't defending Janklow in a previous thread.
He knew he'd had a propensity for bad/dangerous driving from over the years
and he knew his health problems.

He didn't take the rational steps to prevent this tragedy. Who knows what
the court will do, but it sounds like he's guilty of killing this poor guy
at least by willfully ignoring his (Janklow's) medical condition and not
correcting his driving behaviour.

[DustyMoment]

" . . . responded "I don't know" or "I don't recall" to many of his lawyer's questions . . . "

Ah ha! The Clinton defense!!

[lelio]

Has there been testimony by the cop on the scene? He should be able to state if Janklow appeared to be suffering from low blood sugar.

Oh wait, I can see it now: immediately after the incident Janklow drank a coke erasing any signs of low blood sugar.

[Redmen4ever]

The so-called Janklow defense seems to me to be an argument for leniency in the sentence. Perhaps he is hoping for a suspended sentence instead of jail time, along with permanent revocation of his license, and some kind of restitution to the victim (it this possible in a criminal case).

Because of his prior history, however, he cannot hope for the typical sentence a first-time offender might get. A sentence of ten years, all but one or two of which can be suspended, seems in order.

This "I forgot to regulate my blood sugar level" is not acceptable. People with conditions MUST take care of themselves so as to enjoy the Liberties of free men and women, such as operating a motor vehicle, owning a gun, buying and selling property, consenting to medical procedures (and I could go on and on).

Given his admission, it is now obvious that he should have resigned his seat in Congress so as to allow the Governor of the state to call a special election.

We ARE NOT Democrats, who look over such matters as in the case of the real Neanderthal of the U.S. Senate, Ted Kennedy. We HOLD our leaders to a higher, but still reasonable level of personal accountability.

[blackie]

Justice for all.

[DustyMoment]

"We HOLD our leaders to a higher, but still reasonable level of personal accountability."

Do you REALLY believe that? How many opportunities have there been to indict and try Teddy Chappaquiddick for the murder of Mary Jo? How many opportunities to indict and try BJC for rape, theft and malfeasance?

Hopefully, Janklow will be convicted and will serve time in prison, where he belongs. I'm betting that the jury of incompetents will buy one of his stories and let him off to do this again.

I agree that our elected reps SHOULD be held to a higher standard, jst as ANY public figure (including atheletes, actors and musicians). But, the track record is NOT encouraging.

BTW - I'm a diabetic and I don't buy his low blood sugar defense.

[The Great RJ]

The guy has a long history of driving like a bat out of hell and a traffic offense record that would get anyone dropped from their insurance in an instant. He is driving a car "given" to him by a friend with illegal concealed flashing lights and a siren and makes a 175 mile trip in a little over two hours making an intermediate stop on the way.

He then has the audacity to claim he was impaired by a health condition and doesn't remember driving.

Add to this that he nearly killed a family by speeding and running a stop sign at this exact same intersection some months before and was apprehended by a sheriff's deputy while clocked going 84 mph

The man is a menace to society and ought to have his license to drive permanently revoked at the very least. Representing me in Congress?--the guy is an obvious idiot to engage in such behavior not to mention boast about doing it--resign. Guilty of manslaughter--it would take me less than 2 minutes to return that verdict. Send him to jail.