DEADWOOD - Lawyers were given some direction on Friday during
a pretrial hearing in the case of Ted Klaudt, a former state
lawmaker accused of raping two of his foster children at his home
in the Corson County community of Walker.
The Corson County case was moved to Lawrence County, where
Friday's hearing was held.
The judge in the case ruled that at Klaudt's trial, there can
be no reference to his status as a legislator when a sexual
exploitation law was passed in South Dakota.
Klaudt faces four counts of second-degree rape, two counts of
sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of sexual contact with a
child younger than 16, two counts of witness tampering and one
count of stalking.
Court papers say Klaudt raped two foster daughters at his home
and drove one of them to a remote location to take nude pictures.
Prosecutors also have alleged that Klaudt, posing as a modeling
agent, sent e-mails to girls and asked them to send nude photos to
him.
His trial is scheduled to start Nov. 13.
Klaudt also is charged in Hughes County with four counts of
second-degree rape alleged to have occurred in Pierre when he was
in the Legislature. At least one of the allegations involved a girl
when she was a page during a legislative session.
Klaudt, 49, a farmer and rancher, has pleaded not guilty to
all charges.
