400 Attend Janklow Casket Public Viewing

PIERRE, SD - Hundreds of people in South Dakota's capital city have paid their respects to former Governor Bill Janklow, who died of cancer Thursday.

At noon, crews were still setting up for the public memorial which is scheduled to being at 1:00 p.m. in the
state capitol.

Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. for people who want to attend. There will be about 450 chairs on the second floor of the capitol for people to sit on the main level.

At 7:00 a.m., the doors to the capitol opened to allow people into the rotunda to for a public viewing of Janklow's casket. More than 400 people showed up to pay their respects including a class of fifth graders from Stanley County School which came to take in the moment in history.

Several people will speak at the memorial including Governor Dennis Daugaard, who will give the opening remarks. Then current Supreme Court Justice Steven Zinter will give a remembrance. We will also hear from former Supreme Court Justice Judith Meierhenry, who Janklow appointed to the Supreme Court as the first female justice. Former state lawmaker Lars Herseth, who is also the father of Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, is also listed to speak, as is former Legislator and Secretary of Agriculture Larry Gabriel.

You can watch the memorial live on KELO TV and on our Live Coverage Page of KELOLAND.com.