PIERRE — The South Dakota Supreme Court has suspended the law license of former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, finding that the attorney violated the state’s Rules of Professional Conduct after he struck and killed a man with his vehicle in 2020.
In an opinion published Wednesday, Sept. 18, the state’s high court unanimously ordered the suspension of Ravnsborg’s law license for six months and ordered him to pay all costs and expenses related to the Supreme Court’s hearing before it can be reinstated.
“While Ravnsborg is unlikely to continue practicing law in South Dakota, we conclude suspension is necessary to preserve the integrity of the profession and deter like conduct by other attorneys,” the opinion reads.
After hearing arguments in mid-February, the five justices agreed that Ravnsborg’s conduct after he struck and killed Joe Boever, a pedestrian walking along a highway at night, in Hyde County on Sept. 12, 2020, violated the state’s code.
Specifically, the justices opined that he violated three specific subsections of the South Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct by engaging in conduct involving dishonesty or misrepresentation; engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice; and implying an ability to improperly influence a government agency or official.
Following the fatal crash, Ravnsborg’s honesty was scrutinized by investigators in both South Dakota and North Dakota, as law enforcement officials passed the case across the border to avoid any conflicts of interest.
During the 2022 legislative session, lawmakers seeking to impeach Ravnsborg called on lead investigators from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NDBCI) for their testimony.
NDBCI agents Joe Arenz and Arnie Rummel agreed there was a “very realistic possibility” that Ravnsborg did, in fact, know he had struck a person, and that his behavior in interviews with police appeared deceptive.
“That’s an indicator to me that he’s not being truthful,” Rummel said. “… [In] the second interview, after we found more info, we asked him about the same thing and his story changed.”
During a special session of the Legislature in June 2022, Ravnsborg was convicted on two articles of impeachment. Lawmakers voted 24-9 in favor of convicting for crimes committed while in office and 31-2 for malfeasance committed in office.
The conviction removed him from his post as the state’s attorney general and barred him from ever holding an office of trust in the state again.
Ravnsborg has repeatedly declined publicly commenting on the case ever since.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
A South Dakota native, Hunter joined Forum Communications as a reporter for the Mitchell (S.D.) Republic in June 2021 and now works as a digital reporter for Forum News Service.
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Publish date : 2024-09-19 05:43:00
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