Congressman convicted
The week's news at a glance.
Flandreau, S.D.
Rep. William Janklow (R-S.D.) announced this week that he was resigning from Congress an hour after he was convicted of manslaughter. He ran a stop sign and killed a motorcyclist in August. Janklow will be replaced in a special election, and the Democrat he narrowly defeated in 2002 is an early favorite to win the seat. Janklow’s white Cadillac was traveling 71 mph in a 55 mph zone when it collided with the motorcyclist, Randolph Scott, 55. Janklow, a diabetic, said his blood sugar was low. His lawyers said the condition left him “confused.” Dismissing that defense as “goofy,” prosecutors noted that Janklow had gotten 12 speeding tickets between 1990 and 1994, and said he’d been playing “a deadly game of Russian roulette.” Janklow faces up to 11 years in prison.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 19, 2025
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - marking territory, living under a rock, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Mickey 17: 'charming space oddity' that's a 'sparky one-off'
The Week Recommends 'Remarkable' Robert Pattinson stars in Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi comedy
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?
Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published