December 3, 2003 - The prosecution rested its case today in the felony manslaughter trial of Congressman Bill Janklow. The charges stem from a fatal crash in August. The former South Dakota governor is alleged to have run a stop sign at high speed into the path of an on-coming motorcycle. The motorcycle's driver Randy Scott died at the scene. Jurors today heard from the state trooper who did the accident reconstruction. They also heard from Janklow's chief of staff who was riding in Janklow's car at the time of the accident. Then this afternoon three witnesses testified to other times Janklow was caught speeding. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland was in court again today, and joins me on the line.
December 3, 2003 - A new state economic forecast released today (WEDNESDAY) shows the state has not completely resolved its budget problem. The forecast projects a relatively modest deficit of 185-million dollars in the current two-year budget cycle. The last Legislature tackled a much larger four-and-a-half billion dollar shortfall. Republican leaders say the deficit is manageable with current resources, but some groups are already calling for tax increases. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
December 3, 2003 - The man who allegedly kidnapped University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin appeared in a Crookston courtroom today.In the surrounding countryside, hundreds of people continuedto search for any sign of the missing woman. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
December 3, 2003 - A hotel developer wants to build a huge water park near the Mall of America. Jeffrey Wirth, who owns the Grand Hotel in Minneapolis, announced his plan yesterday (Tuesday). The project would include a hotel, a convention center, and a 90-thousand square foot water park... with a slide ten stories high. Wirth has a purchase agreement for the site along Interstate 494 in Bloomington, but has said he needs help from the city to build the park. Mr. Wirth joins us now. That is developer Jeffrey Wirth.
December 3, 2003 - After Pawlenty issued the order last summer saying that no civilly committed sex offenders should be released without a court order he was sued by Eric Janus, a professor at the William Mitchell College of Law. Janus represented Dennis Linehan who challenged the state's civil commitment law. e joins us now. That is Attorney Eric Janus. We'll have more on this issue later today on Midday.
December 3, 2003 - Minnesota finance officials release the state's latest economic forecast today (WEDNESDAY). The last forecast - released in February - showed a projected four-and-a-half billion dollar deficit, which the Legislature eliminated with spending cuts, one-time money and accounting shifts. Governor Pawlenty and legislative leaders say they don't expect today's forecast to show a dramatic upturn or downturn. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
December 4, 2003 - US Senate minority leader Tom Daschle took the witness stand in the felony manslaughter trial of Congressman Bill Janklow today. Daschle was with Janklow at a veterans event hours before the fatal crash that killed Randy Scott. The jury also heard from an accident reconstructionist who contradicted prosecution evidence about how fast Janklow was driving. Minnesota Public Radio's Cara Hetland was in court today and joins me on the line from Flandreau.
December 4, 2003 - Another day has passed without a sign of Dru Sjodin, the 22-year-old college student who went missing last month after her shift at a Grand Forks shopping mall. The man charged with kidnapping made his first appearance in a North Dakota courtroom this afternoon. A judge set bail for Alfonso Rodriguez Junior at $5 million dollars. Rodriguez entered no plea, but requested to remain in jail, for his own safety. Rodriguez is a convicted rapist who was released by Minnesota authorities last May even though he was rated a level three sex offender -- the category deemed the highest risk to reoffend. His arrest in the Sjodin disappearance has prompted the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Corrections order her department to refer all level three sex offenders to county attorneys for civil commitment. Until now, officials with the Corrections Department have conducted interviews and psychiatric evaluations of all level three sex offenders. The department would then recommend civil commitment for the offenders judged most likely to commit another sex crime. Critics say the policy shift is shortsighted and will place an undue burden on county attorneys and the courts. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
December 4, 2003 - Governor Pawlenty's call for returning the death penalty to Minnesota is encountering stiff criticism from some who say the governor is trading on the publicity surrounding the disappearance last month of 22-year-old Dru Sjodin. One day after a convicted sex offender was arrested in connection with Sjodin's apparent abduction, Pawlenty said he'd support capital punishment in certain murder or attempted murder cases that involve sexual assault. But that plan is likely to face stiff opposition from lawmakers in both parties. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
December 5, 2003 - A diabetes expert testified for the defense today at the felony manslaughter trial of Congressman Bill Janklow. The former South Dakota governor is alleged to have run a stop sign at high speed last August, into the path of an on-coming motorcycle. The motorcycle's rider, Randy Scott, died at the scene. Janklow's attorneys are trying to show Janklow, who is a diabetic suffered a sharp drop in blood sugar just before the crash.