Bud May Escapes Trial for Rape—Victim Won’t Help Prosecutors – Dakota Free Press

Another South Dakota Republican avoids accountability for his bad behavior. The state is dropping rape charges against failed District 27 House candidate Bud May because the victim won’t cooperate with prosecutors:

Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Roxanne Hammond, who was prosecuting the case, said Tuesday the state would have gone forward with the charge if the woman had wanted to cooperate. If the case had continued through to a conviction, May would have faced up to 50 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The case will be dismissed without prejudice, which means it could be brought against May again should the woman decide to cooperate with prosecutors [Shalom Bear Gee, “Rape Case Against Bud May Will Be Dropped, Prosecutor Says,” Rapid City Journal, 2023.01.17].

Bud May didn’t get that cut on his eye in his mugshot from a simple hug. But Republicans count on the rest of us to remain silent before their atrocities to maintain their unchecked and corrupt power over South Dakota. Bud May is just the latest beneficiary of a public intimidated into silence.

In completely unrelated Legislative news, Attorney General Marty Jackley proposed among his office’s 2023 package of bills Senate Bill 50, which would amend South Dakota’s law against tampering with witnesses. SB 50 would strike the seemingly redundant phrase “with intent to influence a witness” from SDCL 22-11-19. More importantly, it would add persuading or influencing someone else to tamper with a witness to the statutory definition of witness tampering. That crime is a Class 4 felony. “The foundation of our judicial system is to allow witnesses to present facts and information to Judges and Juries to help them make fair determinations,” says A.G. Jackley. “Unfortunately, all too often there are attempts to tamper with witnesses and evidence, and this amendment provides prosecutors with clearer authority to address when someone corruptly influences witnesses.”