By Lori EhdeIn the media frenzy to cover every angle of Congressman Bill Janklow’s charges, family members of Hardwick’s Randy Scott continue to mourn his loss.They’ve been notably quiet on the issue of justice, but they released a statement Friday."The Scott family would like to thank the South Dakota State Patrol for its efforts during the investigation of this tragedy," the statement read. "We would also like to thank the Moody County State's Attorney for his thoughtful consideration of criminal charges."Former South Dakota Governor Janklow was charged Friday with second-degree manslaughter in Scott’s death.According to the accident report, Janklow allegedly ran a stop sign with his Cadillac at more than 70 mph and struck Scott on his Harley Davidson.The accident happened at a rural Moody County, S.D., intersection, near Trent. The intersection was specifically at 240th Street and 481th Avenue.The South Dakota State Patrol found that neither driver had been drinking."Although no judge or jury can bring Randy back to us, we view the criminal charges as both reasonable and appropriate," the Scott statement continued. "We continue to appreciate the privacy afforded to our family by the media as we grieve Randy's loss."The statement was signed, "Marcella Scott and Family."Second-degree manslaughter is a felony offense carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.Janklow was also charged with misdemeanor counts of failure to stop, going 71 mph in a 55 mph zone and reckless driving. His initial court appearance was Tuesday in Flandreau, and his next hearing is set for Sept. 25.
