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posted January 05, 2006 06:17 PM
 Edited By: Editor on 5 Jan 2006 18:18
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 AMADirectlink.com/justice.
Source: American Motorcyclist Association
   
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Just Joy
Needs a job
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posted January 05, 2006 06:52 PM
sad, but not surprising..... 
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osti33
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Posts: 2973
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posted January 05, 2006 06:54 PM
quote:
sad, but not surprising.....
Yep.
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gaby12
Novice Class
Posts: 60
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posted January 05, 2006 11:26 PM
It's bad enough that a fellow motorcyclist lost his life because of this persons careless disregard...but for him to be granted immunity because he had attended an event related to his congressional duties is equally bad. What kind of event....a bar-b-q fund raiser???
Now that's sad.
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VPN
Zone Head
Posts: 718
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posted January 06, 2006 01:06 AM
Edited By: VPN on 6 Jan 2006 08:30
OK, I see a new career for me arising in the United Stupids of America
A Mafia CarHitMan
Even if I get caught I'm free after 100 days
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CrotchRocket
Moderator
Bracket Racing with Betsy
Posts: 8038
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posted January 06, 2006 07:12 AM
Thats because the word is run by Lawyers/Politicians   s
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Jason Miller StreetBike Seminars
*****DragRacers do it better, because they dont cut Corners*****
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blueford
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posted January 06, 2006 08:33 AM
quote:
"This sends the message that there are few consequences for the death of a motorcyclist."
How do they know that? The same level of punishment could have happened if Randy Scott was killed driving a Ford pickup.
Sounds like some great fund-raising modus operandi from AMA, sure gets the troops fired up, doesn't it?
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Just Joy
Needs a job
Posts: 3976
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posted January 06, 2006 09:20 AM
truthfully, it dosen't matter if the victim was on a bike, cage, or walking, the fact remains that this asshole killed him and is getting nothing more than a slap on the wrist because he's a politician......that's what's sad but not surprising.....CR hit it right on the head, the world is run by Lawyers/Politicians, but he forgot to mention Judges.............
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VPN
Zone Head
Posts: 718
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posted January 06, 2006 03:58 PM
In Finland you can't even charge a judge if he for example distortes the witness statements
and draws conclusions from those twisted statements.
Everything is documented as in Finland the statements are recorded ont tape and sometimes on CD,
but the cops will not investigate a judge - pretty much against the law that too.
So it is all over the world -- you can change just yourself and you can start today.
Let's have a prayer....
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speedgene
Zone Head
Posts: 996
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posted January 06, 2006 04:31 PM
When it comes to state and federal level officials, they dip into a different bag of laws. That's when you see real "Just-Us."
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E-tard
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