GUILTY SD - Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, involved in fatal car hit and run, Sioux Falls, Sept 2020 *plea *Impeached*

[JerseyGirl]

Jason Ravnsborg says he won't resign after judge finds him guilty

In a statement released shortly after a judge issued Ravnsborg's sentence, the attorney general spoke out for the first time since he struck and killed Highmore resident Joe Boever:

"On September 12, 2020, two families were changed forever.

First and foremost, I am very sorry Joe Boever lost his life in this accident. I am sorry to the entire family for the loss of their loved one. They have had to deal with the pain, anger, and sadness of this accident.

With respect for Joe, his family, and the judicial process, I have fully cooperated with the investigation from the beginning and refrained from making statements to the media.

While nothing I say will bring Joe back, I believe it’s appropriate to share a few of my thoughts at this time.

Joe’s death weighs heavily on me and always will. I’ve often wondered why the accident occurred and all the things that had to have happened to make our lives intersect. I’ve wished thousands of times our paths would have crossed under different circumstances.

The media has reported many untrue, and misleading things they want you to believe are facts. Partisan opportunists from both sides of the aisle have manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence all sides agreed upon. These are the same people who try to take others down at any cost.

I ran to be your attorney general because I believe in the law; I believe in fairness, due process, and doing what’s right. Now, having experienced the legal system from both sides, I renew my commitment to be transparent and responsive to the needs of the people of South Dakota.

We have built an incredible team of hard-working professionals who seek to serve you in the Attorney General’s office each day. We’ve made significant accomplishments in record time.

We still face challenges. We will continue the dialogue about marijuana and how to regulate it. We’re finalizing the terms of the $26 billion opioid settlement to address opioids and fentanyl and still battling the meth epidemic.

I do not know all the Lord has in store for me, but I trust in Him. As I continue my service as your attorney general, I’ll keep fighting for you, just as I have since the day I took office. May God bless each of you, and may God continue to bless South Dakota."

 

[Gardenista]

Jason Ravnsborg says he won't resign after judge finds him guilty

In a statement released shortly after a judge issued Ravnsborg's sentence, the attorney general spoke out for the first time since he struck and killed Highmore resident Joe Boever:

"On September 12, 2020, two families were changed forever.

First and foremost, I am very sorry Joe Boever lost his life in this accident. I am sorry to the entire family for the loss of their loved one. They have had to deal with the pain, anger, and sadness of this accident.

With respect for Joe, his family, and the judicial process, I have fully cooperated with the investigation from the beginning and refrained from making statements to the media.

While nothing I say will bring Joe back, I believe it’s appropriate to share a few of my thoughts at this time.

Joe’s death weighs heavily on me and always will. I’ve often wondered why the accident occurred and all the things that had to have happened to make our lives intersect. I’ve wished thousands of times our paths would have crossed under different circumstances.

The media has reported many untrue, and misleading things they want you to believe are facts. Partisan opportunists from both sides of the aisle have manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence all sides agreed upon. These are the same people who try to take others down at any cost.

I ran to be your attorney general because I believe in the law; I believe in fairness, due process, and doing what’s right. Now, having experienced the legal system from both sides, I renew my commitment to be transparent and responsive to the needs of the people of South Dakota.

We have built an incredible team of hard-working professionals who seek to serve you in the Attorney General’s office each day. We’ve made significant accomplishments in record time.

We still face challenges. We will continue the dialogue about marijuana and how to regulate it. We’re finalizing the terms of the $26 billion opioid settlement to address opioids and fentanyl and still battling the meth epidemic.

I do not know all the Lord has in store for me, but I trust in Him. As I continue my service as your attorney general, I’ll keep fighting for you, just as I have since the day I took office. May God bless each of you, and may God continue to bless South Dakota."

Anybody else hear the Charlie Brown teachers when skimming this BS?

 

[cocomod]

The sad part is, the civil suit will be a horrible thing for the widow to go through. The defense will be able to use things they could not in a criminal trial, and they will dishonor this man's memory and reputation. This is too sad!

 

[mickey2942]

Three misdemeanor charges. No contest plea, basically meaningless for the Civil trial.

It is shocking how many other professionals put themselves out for potential corruption issues, by their obvious collusion in this case. Of course, in this rural community, if they hadn't gone along with the plan, their professional lives and careers would have been over.

 

[scapa]

Jason Ravnsborg says he won't resign after judge finds him guilty

In a statement released shortly after a judge issued Ravnsborg's sentence, the attorney general spoke out for the first time since he struck and killed Highmore resident Joe Boever:

"On September 12, 2020, two families were changed forever.

First and foremost, I am very sorry Joe Boever lost his life in this accident. I am sorry to the entire family for the loss of their loved one. They have had to deal with the pain, anger, and sadness of this accident.

With respect for Joe, his family, and the judicial process, I have fully cooperated with the investigation from the beginning and refrained from making statements to the media.

While nothing I say will bring Joe back, I believe it’s appropriate to share a few of my thoughts at this time.

Joe’s death weighs heavily on me and always will. I’ve often wondered why the accident occurred and all the things that had to have happened to make our lives intersect. I’ve wished thousands of times our paths would have crossed under different circumstances.

The media has reported many untrue, and misleading things they want you to believe are facts. Partisan opportunists from both sides of the aisle have manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence all sides agreed upon. These are the same people who try to take others down at any cost.

I ran to be your attorney general because I believe in the law; I believe in fairness, due process, and doing what’s right. Now, having experienced the legal system from both sides, I renew my commitment to be transparent and responsive to the needs of the people of South Dakota.

We have built an incredible team of hard-working professionals who seek to serve you in the Attorney General’s office each day. We’ve made significant accomplishments in record time.

We still face challenges. We will continue the dialogue about marijuana and how to regulate it. We’re finalizing the terms of the $26 billion opioid settlement to address opioids and fentanyl and still battling the meth epidemic.

I do not know all the Lord has in store for me, but I trust in Him. As I continue my service as your attorney general, I’ll keep fighting for you, just as I have since the day I took office. May God bless each of you, and may God continue to bless South Dakota."

I expected a similarly flimsy resolution to this case, but the blatent self-servingness of this statement gives me pause even so. Nowhere does he take any responsibility for the incident or his actions that followed, and I doubt he ever will. Hopefully the voters of SD and his potential next employers will take an appropriately dim view of the man, his acts and the narratives he worked to spin round them, and make "what the Lord has in store" significantly less lucrative and easy than he's clearly hoping for.

 

[Laughing]

Can the citizens petition for a recall?

Is this horrible excuse for a public servant JMHO up for re-election (or should I say defeat?) this fall?

So very sorry for the family of the deceased; also for the taxpayers supporting this slime JMHO & all.

jmho ymmv driving drunk on the shoulder watching something on your cell phone lrr

 

[nells]

A number of things on my mind:

One of the articles I read said that the gag order will be lifted at the conclusion of the criminal portion of litigation.

If so, I would love to see the following:

- the "redacted" 73 seconds in one of the police interviews
- the video that the investigators made to see how bright Boever's flashlight would have been at night and how well JR would have seen him in the car if he was paying attention
- pictures of the inside of JR's car, especially the passenger seat, with Boever's glasses
- Boever's glasses

 

[nells]

Three misdemeanor charges. No contest plea, basically meaningless for the Civil trial.

BBM. It's worse than that, isn't it?
The AP article states that he pled guilty to just two misdemeanors, not three.

The Associated Press
@AP
South Dakota’s attorney general has pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges in the death of a pedestrian last year. Jason Ravnsborg entered the pleas to charges of making an illegal lane change and using a phone while driving.

"South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R) on Thursday was fined $500 for each of the two misdemeanor charges he pleaded guilty to and ordered him to pay court costs, according to The Associated Press."

BBM

ETA: I meant: 3 misdemeanors is obviously too light. 2 misdemeanors is even more egregious, hence, "worse."

 

[nells]

Archived audio of today's hearing available here:

Noem “outraged” at result of Ravnsborg’s plea agreement in fatal crash case

 

[mickey2942]

BBM. It's worse than that, isn't it?
The AP article states that he pled guilty to just two misdemeanors, not three.



BBM

ETA: I meant: 3 misdemeanors is obviously too light. 2 misdemeanors is even more egregious, hence, "worse."

Yeah, I missed where they dropped off the charge of "careless driving". Of course.

Choke.

 

[Betty P]

The Associated Press
@AP
South Dakota’s attorney general has pleaded no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges in the death of a pedestrian last year. Jason Ravnsborg entered the pleas to charges of making an illegal lane change and using a phone while driving.

South Dakota attorney general fined in pedestrian's death

South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg (R) on Thursday was fined $500 for each of the two misdemeanor charges he pleaded guilty to and ordered him to pay court costs, according to The Associated Press.

He was also ordered to do a “significant public service event” for the next five years around the anniversary of Joseph Boever’s death, something the family had requested, the AP noted.

Ravnsborg was previously charged with three misdemeanors for allegedly hitting and killing Boever in September.

Thursday’s plea is likely not the end of all litigation in the incident. Boever’s widow, Jenny Boever, is expected to file a civil lawsuit against Ravnsborg for wrongful death.

So sad, so much corruption. It would have been handled the same way in the state where I live. Very sad, the times we live in.

 

[nells]

An Attorney General Won't Serve Any Jail Time For A Crash That Killed A Pedestrian

This is a very interesting article, as it contains quotes from Boever's sister, who I haven't heard from before:

"Why, after having to wait nearly a year, do we not have the chance to face him?" Boever's sister, Jane Boever, asked the court. She said "his cowardly behavior leaves us frustrated."​

Also, this from JR's lawyer:

"Accidents happen, people die. It should not happen. No one wants anybody to die," he said."​

BBB
O.M.F.G.

 

[renah]

This is disgusting and totally demoralizing.
I am so sorry for the Boever family!

Of course we all realize class privilege & elitism exists, but one would hope that when something is SO skewed, so unfair, and so blatantly obvious that justice and common sense would prevail... BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANY THINKING PERSON.

Ugggh.

 

[mickey2942]

An Attorney General Won't Serve Any Jail Time For A Crash That Killed A Pedestrian

This is a very interesting article, as it contains quotes from Boever's sister, who I haven't heard from before:

"Why, after having to wait nearly a year, do we not have the chance to face him?" Boever's sister, Jane Boever, asked the court. She said "his cowardly behavior leaves us frustrated."​

Also, this from JR's lawyer:

"Accidents happen, people die. It should not happen. No one wants anybody to die," he said."​

BBB
O.M.F.G.

Interesting that the victim's family was not allowed to make any statements prior to sentencing. As if this doesn't smack of a "backdoor deal" I don't know what does.

 

[LaneLowe]

So sad, so much corruption. It would have been handled the same way in the state where I live. Very sad, the times we live in.

As a South Dakotan I am sickened by the entire affair. Had it been me or any other “simple citizen” (non-politician, non-LE, unconnected), there would have been no misdemeanor charges - only felonies. There would have been an extensive DUI investigation that night - probable cause or not. We wouldn’t have driven the local sheriff’s car home that night - we would have spent the night being questioned and detained. Everything would have been different.

When those in positions of upholding the law subvert justice, there is no true justice.

 

[mickey2942]

South Dakota Legislature

Apparently, in any vehicle accident which results in a death the family does have "victims rights". Hmm, the judge must have missed this law.

Oh.. it is only if the driver was sentenced with a DUI. Hmm. They didn't seem to investigate that, did they?!
South Dakota Legislature

 

[nells]

You know, I'm really curious about why the charge of "careless driving" was dropped as part of the plea deal. It would seem to be the most "logical" of the charges: someone has died because of someone else's "careless driving."

I wonder if that specific charge was negotiated out because, with JR not being charged w/ careless driving, the widow's civil case is weakened...

Can someone w/ a legal background weigh in on this?

You have to admit, it's weird that that specific charge was the one that was dropped (versus the other two, which were using a phone while driving and making an illegal lane change).

 

[mickey2942]

You know, I'm really curious about why the charge of "careless driving" was dropped as part of the plea deal. It would seem to be the most "logical" of the charges: someone has died because of someone else's "careless driving."

I wonder if that specific charge was negotiated out because, with JR not being charged w/ careless driving, the widow's civil case is weakened...

Can someone w/ a legal background weigh in on this?

You have to admit, it's weird that that specific charge was the one that was dropped (versus the other two, which were using a phone while driving and making an illegal lane change).

Like, those together are NOT "careless driving". I agree, the other two charges are minimal compared to the implied negligence of "Careless Driving".

 

[nells]

Chris Hayes' segment w/ Vanity Fair reporter:

How one Attorney General avoided prison, stayed in office after fatal crash

 

[mickey2942]

Side note, I was recently in a very minor accident, minimal damage to my car, no injuries. The driver of the other car, was charged... with... "Careless Driving'.