Tape Shown Jury Captures Janklow’s Words, Horror

In an emotional first day of testimony in the second-degree manslaughter trial of Rep. William J. Janklow (R-S.D.), jurors watched a police videotape that captured the words -- and ultimate horror -- of the state’s only congressman in the hours after he allegedly killed a motorcyclist.

The tape, recorded by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, shows Janklow and Officer Jeffrey M. Lanning as they traveled to a local hospital to test the politician’s blood for alcohol and drugs, a standard procedure.

Janklow, 64, is accused of running a stop sign on a rural road in August, striking and killing 55-year-old Randolph E. Scott, a farmer from Minnesota. If convicted on that felony count and lesser charges, Janklow faces up to 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine and potentially the end of his political career.

The recording, which begins two hours after the accident, first shows the lawmaker insisting that the accident occurred because he had swerved to avoid a “little white car.” An investigation found there was no such car.

Before reaching the hospital, the tape shows, Lanning stopped the car at a local funeral home to talk with the town’s coroner, Dr. Tad B. Jacobs, to gather more details on the accident. When Lanning returned to Janklow in the car, the officer told him Scott’s name and birth date.

In a broken voice, Janklow asked for information on Scott’s family. He then sat in silence for several minutes and, with a heavy sigh, mumbled, “Jesus.”

On the way back to the accident site, Janklow continued to mull over the phantom white car. At one point, he said quietly, “Maybe I’m dreaming.”

The tape wrapped up a long day of testimony -- tales of fear and chaos that ranged from anger to tears.

Monica Collins, a church secretary from Minnesota, testified that Janklow had sped past her car on Highway 13 minutes before the accident.

“It scared me,” Collins said. “I looked at my speedometer, and it was 55 or 60.... He passed me and he was gone.” The speed limit is 55 mph.

Another witness, Michael A. Jenkins of Garretson, S.D., said that when the vehicle and motorcycle collided, there was “an explosion of debris.”

Jenkins, who described Janklow as “remorseful” at the accident site, said he spoke with the politician minutes after the collision. When Janklow asked if Jenkins had seen a white car, the latter replied that the only white car was the one Jenkins and his wife, Patty, were driving. Police have discounted that as the vehicle Janklow said he saw.

Terry Johnson, who was riding a motorcycle near Scott at the time of the accident, quietly cried as he told of finding his friend’s body in a field.

Scott and Johnson had been attending a nearby 80th birthday party for Scott’s former father-in-law. Scott’s 25-year-old son, J.R., was late to the party. Wanting to see his son, Scott suggested to Johnson that the pair go on a motorcycle ride and return later.

Police photos and court records show that Scott suffered deep lacerations to the chest and abdomen in the collision. The injuries, caused by the trunk of Janklow’s car, disemboweled him, Jacobs told jurors Tuesday.

When prosecutors asked Johnson to identify his friend from police photos of the crime scene, the broad-shouldered Minnesota farmer pulled out his handkerchief and pressed it to his eyes. Johnson said he ran out into the soybean field, “hollering out Randy’s name.... He was face up. I kneeled down to see if he had a pulse, and he didn’t.”

Throughout the day, defense attorney Ed Evans questioned witnesses about Janklow’s public behavior and whether the politician had eaten anything sugary that day. The defense is hanging its case on the argument that Janklow, a diabetic, had not eaten properly the day of the accident and that his reactions were slowed because of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.

Lanning testified that Janklow was drinking a soda while he was in the officer’s car. Jacobs acknowledged that he saw the politician drinking a cup of Gatorade at the accident site, which may have alleviated any symptoms.