Star Montana Quarterback Takes the Stand, Denies Rape Allegations
Feb. 28, 2013— -- Jordan Johnson, the former star quarterback at the University of Montana, is accused of raping a classmate and former acquaintance. Taking the stand on Wednesday, he insisted he is not guilty. It's being called a classic case of "he-said-she-said," playing out now in a Montana courtroom.
"We had consensual sex and I would never do that to anyone," he said.
The case has divided the university and surrounding college town of Missoula in western Montana, and it comes down to this crucial discrepancy: Johnson, 20, said he had consensual sex with his classmate. She said it was rape.
The incident happened last February, but the 21-year-old alleged victim, whose name is not being reported, didn't tell authorities Johnson raped her until more than a month after the night of the incident. "He grabbed onto my hips and he started pulling my body into his just again and again and again," the alleged victim testified in court. "It hurt so bad."
The accuser told authorities that the two had spent time together before the incident but were still getting to know each other. According to her affidavit, she sent a text message to a friend shortly after the incident, saying, "Omg, I think I might have just gotten raped ... he kept pushing and pushing and I said no but he wouldn't listen."
The next day, according to court documents, she went to the University of Montana Student Assault Resource Center and then had a medical exam, where the prosecution said bruises were discovered.
Johnson admitted that, on the night of the incident, he initiated contact with the woman via a text that said, "hey." He said she later invited him to watch a movie in her room and ultimately picked him up. Johnson testified that he had consumed four or five beers at the time and didn't want to drive.
He said about 15 minutes into watching the movie in her room, they started kissing on her bed and things quickly escalated.
"She asked me if I had a condom," Johnson said. "I said, 'no,' and she said, 'It's OK.'"
He then testified that they had sex, but that there was no resistance and she seemed into it. If she had shown any reluctance, Johnson said, "I would have stopped."
But according to her account, she didn't want to have sex that night and told police she repeatedly told him, "No, not tonight."
"I just wanted to really get to know him," the alleged victim testified in court. "I didn't really hang out with him since a year prior."
The prosecution argued that shortly after Johnson arrived in her room, things got ugly, that Johnson positioned himself on top of the alleged victim and became aggressive.
She said he told her, "turn over or I'll make you," and then flipped her over and raped her. Johnson admitted that at one point, he did turn her over but that they were just changing positions. Johnson's defense attorney was quick to point out that it was Johnson's impression that she was enjoying it because "she was moaning."
Johnson is charged with sexual intercourse without consent -- a felony with a maximum sentence of 100 years in prison. While defendants are not required to testify in a criminal trial, Johnson told jurors today he wants people to know what happened.
