Judge orders removal of Ravnsborg police interrogation interviews

February 26, 2021

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – A South Dakota judge has blocked Gov. Kristi Noem from releasing documents and ordered the removal of video interviews in the investigation of the state’s attorney general for striking and killing a man with his car.

Defense attorneys for Jason Ravnsborg, the state’s top law enforcement agent, argued that the release of video of his interviews with investigators and other documents violated his right to a fair trial.

A circuit court judge ordered Noem to halt plans to release more documents from the crash investigation.

Noem has tried to ratchet up pressure on the attorney general to resign.

The South Dakota Department of Public Safety website had links of Ravnsborg interviews with detectives about the fatal crash. Those links were up for two days, but have now been removed due to the judge’s order.