Don Chembars
338 Little River Road
Berwick, MAINE 03901
January 24, 2004
Governor M. Michael Rounds
500 East Capitol Ave.
Pierre, SD 57501
 

Governor Rounds,

I would like to start out by saying that I was in your beautiful State last year. Myself and two friends took a three week/7,000+ mile motorcycle trip from the East coast and made a big loop of this great country ... your South Dakota was included.

Since my return home the end of August I have been watching and reading about the Janklow case. I was shocked to learn that he is a self confessed "speeder"/"reckless" driver and yet he still has a drivers license. I ask you WHY ... because he is a government official? Do government officials have different standards then "we the people"? If I had a driving record like Mr. Jaklow (term "Mr." used very loosely here - I have no respect for that man) my drivers license would have been suspended if not revoked!

I was pleased to see Janklow resign his position. I was happy to see him convicted in December ... but why second degree manslaughter? Why not a more severe charge? He certainly is educated well enough that he would have known that speeding and running stop signs could result in the death or serious injury to another human being. Now down to the meat of this note - the sentencing! One hundred days in a COUNTY jail, work release after 30 days! Every single resident of South Dakota should be embarrassed and ashamed. You as Governor should DEMAND your State Attorney General take action against the judge that handed down this ruling. You as Governor should DEMAND your AG and Legislative Branch to amend the laws so that a travesty like this will never happen again!

It is true, I may not know Mr. Scott or his family personally BUT he was my "brother in the wind". What value did your court system place on Mr. Scott's life? What value do you place on my life or my families lives? You don't need to answer those questions ... the answer is too obvious now. The question I do want an answer to is - "What are you going to do about this?". Will you right a wrong or will you turn your head for your colleague? Please, I ask you to stand up, take notice and do the right thing.

Sincerely,
 
Don "V-MAN" Chembars
York County UBM
National BHRA