Ravnsborg prosecutor: politicians should blame state laws, not prosecutions

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A prosecutor defends his prosecution rulings in the criminal case of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg.

Michael Moore says prosecutions were limited by state laws, and he says politicians should change the laws if they don’t like them.

Moore and District Attorney Emily Sovell have charged Ravnsborg with reckless driving, driving out of his lane and driving while on the phone after Ravnsborg accidentally hit and killed a pedestrian with his car last year.

Ravnsborg was fined $ 1,000 after making a clear plea for using his phone and driving out of his lane.

Some critics say Ravnsborg should have faced more serious charges.

Craig Price, secretary of the Department of Public Safety, said he shared his thoughts with prosecutors.

In my opinion, as a law enforcement officer for 24 years, and in the opinion of the highly qualified highway patrol officers involved in this investigation, Mr. Ravnsborg should have been charged with manslaughter in second degree, Price wrote in a letter to the Speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives.

Governor Kristi Noem who appointed Price also criticized prosecutors and urged lawmakers to consider impeaching Ravnsborg.

Like many South Dakota residents, I am not only disappointed with the way this process has been handled by prosecutors, but outraged by the outcome of today’s plea hearing and sentencing, a- she said in a previous press release.

Moore rejected this criticism.

I would say to politicians who make it very political, they have a cure. But pointing the finger at the criminal justice system or prosecutors, I think that’s wrong, he said.

The state does not have a negligent homicide law, Moore noted. He said there was no evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that Ravnsborg’s actions met the legal definition of reckless behavior, which is necessary to charge someone with second degree manslaughter.

Moore said the cure is for politicians to change the law, particularly making negligent homicide a felony. A bill was introduced in 2016 but it would have excluded any traffic accident. It failed.

They shouldn’t be pointing fingers at each other, Moore said. If the governor wanted it to be a law, let’s see it. Submit it to the next legislature. If lawmakers want it to be a law, move it to the next legislature. But stop criticizing the criminal justice system because we were bound by what you told us to do and we followed the law in this case.

For now, Moore has said the family of victim Joe Boevers can try to seek more justice with a lawsuit.

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