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 Protesters gather at Janklow arraignment, Lakota Journal
Janklow Pleads Innocent in Fatal Accident, Washington Post
Moody County Janklow Protest, 26 Sept 2003
This was in front of the Moody County Courthouse in Flandreau,South
Dakota, members from tribes throughout South Dakota.
These supporters were closest to the street, we were standing on the east
side of the side walk leading into the Moody Co. Court house on this day of
wild Bill Janklow's arraignment, He pled not guilty.
More in front of the courthouse.
 
Wild Bill Janklow heading into courthouse to enter plea. He is in the dark suit.
Part of the media crews.
Supports Ta Duta Oyate Justice Camp.
They took Wild Bill over to the sheriffs office in this photo.
Alfred Bone Shirt
For more Jankkklow links and news click here
The Lakota Journal
by Ruth Steinberger
(Flandreau, SD) Around 40 protestors gathered here on September 27th, for the arraignment of Republican Congressman Bill Janklow on charges stemming from a fatal car crash on August 16. The crash was the result of the congressman running a stop sign and killing a motorcycle driver. This was Janklow’s seventh car wreck since 1992.
Protestors voiced their opposition to leniency for the former Governor whose administration was known for a tough law and order position, but that was also frequently marked by allegations of corruption and heavy-handed tactics to silence his opponents.
Sicangu activist, Alfred Bone Shirt organized the rally. Bone Shirt told Lakota Journal, “We’re doing this to ask for accountability for the actions of racist Republicans, specifically “Wild Bill” Janklow. During the past years, when he was governor, when he worked on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, he committed various acts against our people. He is used to getting away with whatever he does.”
Bone Shirt continued, “The most outstanding incident occurred in 1967. It involved a girl who was under the guardianship of Bill Janklow named Jancita Eagle Deer.” According to FBI reports from 1967, Eagle Deer alleged Janklow forcibly raped her.
Bone Shirt said, “The US Attorney for South Dakota at the time Harold Doyle declined to prosecute. Janklow has referred to that action as his justification for closure of that incident. Analysis of the report shows that the decision not to prosecute was likely the result of political cover-up more than a lack of credible information. The report offers absolutely no material evidence to exonerate him, he was never held accountable and a lack of accountability is his track record. The combined traffic violations and accidents he has incurred over the years are a serious matter. His play for sympathy downplays the death of Randy Scott.”
Bone Shirt concluded, “His acting ability stinks-he is playing a pity card.”
Referencing the rape of Eagle Deer, Bone Shirt noted that it is very rare that a white person committing a violent act against an Indian in South Dakota would be prosecuted under any circumstances. Bone Shirt cited the killings of Justin Redday, Robert Many Horses and Renee Byrd as examples of Indians who were killed within the last decade and although the white killer or killers were known prosecutors declined to act. Murder charges were not filed in any of these incidents. He said, “That a white attorney who was up and coming in South Dakota politics was not prosecuted for the rape of a fifteen year old Indian girl in 1967 in no way implies a lack of credible evidence. To the contrary, it would be extremely unlikely that any action would be taken with this racial make-up, no matter how clear the evidence and no matter how violent the crime. Janklow was not tried and exonerated and exoneration should not be implied.”
According to a 1999 US Department of Justice crime victim statistics publication, while nationally around 80% of violent crimes occur within a single race, i.e. white on white or African American on African American, for Native Americans that figure is around 70% who are victimized by whites, almost a reversal of the figures for other races. This makes the failure to prosecute whites in the wrongful deaths of Indians statistically more significant.
Bone Shirt said, “They do not hold the same standard of justice for our people. At most there is a slap on the wrist for white people who kill one of our people.” He cited examples involving two fatal vehicle car wrecks that occurred within a two year period in the last decade in Roberts County, SD. One involved a vehicle driven by a young Indian woman who was a first time offender named Melanie Seaboy. The crash resulted in a fatality and Ms. Seaboy was sentenced to 14 years in an adult prison. In the same county, when a young local white man with a known drinking history killed a Native American named Justin Redday, who was a pedestrian, the white man was charged with only a traffic violation. Despite very questionable circumstances following the accident, the driver Mark Appel, faced no charges for the death.
Bone Shirt explained that the protest was also to demand accountability from Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) and Representative Tim Johnson (D-SD). Both heavily court the Indian vote, yet last week both declared their support for Janklow. He said that Daschle has taken a clear position on Indian issues through his direct involvement in the passage of the Mitigation Act, a 1998 federal action that bypassed tribes in the return of Army Corps of Engineers property. Nearly 200,000 acres of land was handed over to the state instead of tribes as mandated by federal code. Bone Shirt said, “The Republican Party has shown not only a blatant disregard for Indians, but a seemingly outright desire to end our sovereignty. They are not happy with the amount of land and resources already stolen from us-they want it all. Daschle is part of that and the recent statements by Tom Daschle and Tim Johnson are a statement to Indians.”
According to Bone Shirt local law enforcement officials attempted to make the protestors leave, citing a lack of permit for the demonstration. He explained that organizers had made several efforts to secure a permit and were refused information by both the Flandreau Police Department and the Moody County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials were unwilling to tell Bone Shirt if earlier demonstrators that expressed support for Janklow were forced to have a permit. Police allowed Janklow supporters to block the sidewalks and the entranceways to the courthouse during his earlier court appearances.
Bone Shirt said that the protest was to highlight the wrongdoing perpetrated by the Janklow administration. He noted the number of voting rights lawsuits currently facing South Dakota and he said the last redistricting maps that were fought for by Republicans, during Janklow’s administration, was intended to make Indian voting ineffective and this was not the result of innocent oversights. He said, “Roberts County, Bennett County, Buffalo County and Wadsworth County come to mind as places in which the courts are used expressly to target Indians. Additionally, there has been a deliberate effort to distill the Indian vote in these areas so the political makeup stays unchanged despite having large Indian populations, even majorities in some wards. By doing this high Indian populations have historically remained unable to elect candidates of their choice and this has maintained an almost apartheid-like situation.”
Bone Shirt referred to the segregation mandate enforced upon the African population of South Africa by the minority all-white government that ruled the country for decades, keeping the African majority in total poverty.
Yankton activist Frances Zephier attended the protest. She noted, “A lot of people charged with manslaughter are under house arrest and cannot even leave the state of South Dakota. I’ve got a 12-year-old nephew looking at serving over 100 days in juvenile confinement for breaking a window over a year ago. Janklow expects not to serve even a single day. His old saying was you do the crime, you do the time, he sure isn’t saying that now.”
Zephier added, “Janklow knows the laws and he chose to break the law. This time his actions resulted in somebody dying. How can he continue to have a vote in congress? The way I look at it, the past cover-ups for Janklow amount to organized crime. A lot of people are locked up for far lesser crimes than this. He created the system here in South Dakota and now, by trying to get out of this, he is tearing it down. The prosecutors and the judges throughout the state are his friends, and this has resulted in a very heavy handed court system here, now he is facing that system.”
One non-Indian supporter of the protest said that if Janklow leaves office race relations in South Dakota could begin to heal.
Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) responded via e-mail to criticism of his recent support for Janklow remaining in office saying, “Understanding how Washington works, it is imperative that South Dakota's interests, including tribal interests, are represented in the House of Representatives. Bill Janklow is South Dakota's lone voice in the House of Representatives and it is important that he is as effective as possible. The entire delegation will continue to work together to help projects for our state.” The e-mail did not respond to the criticism that Janklow is considered by many not to represent tribal interests.
The press office of Senator Tom Daschle (S-SD) returned our call and denied that the senator had expressed support for Janklow.
In noting her decision to attend the protest when many people fear Janklow’s reputation for reprisals, Zephier said, “With all he’s done, he’s a bully, but fear gives him power. Now he tries to portray himself as a broken, little man. Well, he’s a poor actor and anyway, this isn’t Hollywood.”
Janklow Pleads Innocent in Fatal Accident
S. Dakota Representative Faces Manslaughter Charges
washingtonpost.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5977-2003Sep26.html
The Associated Press
Friday, September 26, 2003; 4:02 PM
FLANDREAU, S.D. -- Rep. Bill Janklow pleaded innocent
Friday to second-degree manslaughter in the traffic
accident that killed a motorcyle rider last month.
The Republican former governor also pleaded innocent
on three lesser counts, four days after he told
reporters he "couldn't be sorrier" for the Aug. 16
crash that killed Randy Scott, 55, of Hardwick, Minn.
Authorities allege Janklow was driving a Cadillac 71
mph in a 55-mph zone and had just run a stop sign at a
rural intersection when he collided with Scott's
motorcycle.
Trial was set for Dec. 1.
Besides manslaughter, Janklow also was charged with
reckless driving, running a stop sign and speeding.
Authorities allege he was driving 71 mph in a 55-mph
zone.
Janklow is allowed to remain free on a personal
recognizance bond.
Some members of the Scott family and some Janklow
supporters attended the court session, which lasted
only a few minutes in a packed courtroom.
About a dozen protesters were outside the courthouse.
As Janklow left, some yelled, "No justice, no peace,"
"He's a killer" and other chants.
Janklow had waived his right to a preliminary hearing
in Moody County Circuit Court.
© 2003 The Associated Press
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