Supreme Court denies UM alleged rape case request, stymies Krakauer

“Town Crier” newsletter – Briefs from the Region (1) – 2/25/20

In July 2019, Montana’s Supreme Court voted 4-3 to overturn a lower court’s ruling that famous author and journalist Jon Krakauer should have access to redacted University of Montana records relating to the alleged 2012 rape of a student at the hands of star UM quarterback Jordan Johnson. Krakauer is penned the book, “Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town,” which centers on the purported sexual assault, and resulted in no disciplinary action for the athlete. Johnson was acquitted in court but first went through a disciplinary process at the university where school officials recommended expulsion; the state Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian saw that he remain enrolled. Krakauer filed for access in 2014, but the state’s supreme court ruled the privacy of Johnson outweighed the public’s right to know the reasoning behind Christian’s decision. The fight for information died on Feb. 24 after the U.S. Supreme Court denied a hearing following Krakauer’s appeal. Johnson’s information will remain confidential.