Jordan Johnson, the former quarterback of the University if Montana was expelled from school for an alleged rape. He maintained from the beginning he was innocent, but the university didn’t give him a fair hearing in that he was not allowed to produce witnesses or other evidence in his behalf. They had decided he was guilty the moment the accusation was made. And why not, he’s a football player and liberals hate men who are……………..well, men. From there he was quickly suspended.
Upon winning his case, Johnson declared:
“Any student accused of wrongdoing deserves a fair and impartial hearing of the facts of his or her case. Officials at the University of Montana — people who were in positions of great power — were unfair and biased. Their misconduct made my family and me suffer unnecessarily, both emotionally and financially.”
Johnson had been reinstated to the college by Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian. He was suspended from the football team and the football coach was fired. Today’s settlement may mean the university will have to settle with him, too. Johnson was charged with the rape of a classmate but was unanimously cleared of all charges. Today, there are 50 more cases just like this waiting for their day in court.
The accusations also came against the backdrop of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into whether rape allegations were being mishandled by the university, police and Missoula County prosecutors. Federal prosecutors signed settlement agreements with the university, the city and county prosecutors that called for changes in reporting, responding to and oversight of sexual assault cases.
The accusations against Johnson initially prompted an internal university investigation that is the subject of his settlement. That investigation led to a recommendation for Johnson’s expulsion by a university court that handles complaints of student conduct violations. The expulsion recommendation was appealed and upheld by university President Royce Engstrom.
Johnson then appealed to Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian. Johnson was not expelled, and Krakauer is suing for the state to release information about what action Christian took.
It is four years too late, but justice was finally served.