SOUTH DAKOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL JASON RAVNSBORG IS STILL IN OFFICE FOLLOWING HIS NO CONTEST PLEA LAST WEEK TO TWO MISDEMEANOR TRAFFIC CHARGES RELATED TO THE HIGHWAY DEATH OF JOE BOEVER LAST SEPTEMBER NEAR HIGHMORE.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA LAW SCHOOL DEAN NEIL FULTON SAYS THAT PLEA IS COMMON WHERE A RELATED CIVIL CASE IS POSSIBLE:
SDATTY3 OC….OR CONVICTION IS :24
BOEVER’S FAMILY HAS SAID THEY WILL LIKELY FILE A CIVIL SUIT AGAINST RAVNSBORG AND FULTON SAYS A GUILTY PLEA WOULD HAVE OPENED HIM UP TO MORE LIABILITY IN A CIVIL CASE:
SDATTY4 OC…..IN THE CIVIL CASE :18
RAVNSBORG PLEADED NO CONTEST TO TWO TRAFFIC RELATED MISDEMEANOR VIOLATIONS RATHER THAN A FELONY CHARGE OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE OR MANSLAUGHTER.
FULTON SAYS STATE LAW SETS A HIGH BAR TO PROVE THOSE FELONIES:
SDATTY5 OC….HAVE THAT PROVISION. :14
GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM ISSUED A STATEMENT CRITICAL OF THE OUTCOME, SAYING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHOULD RESIGN OR BE IMPEACHED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
RAVNSBORG HAS SAID HE INTENDS TO CONTINUE IN OFFICE AND HAS BEEN MAKING APPEARANCES AROUND THE STATE IN ADVANCE OF RUNNING FOR REELECTION NEXT YEAR.
Jerry Oster WNAX
