The educational records of a star University of Montana quarterback accused of rape will remain confidential after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to get involved in the case brought by author Jon Krakauer.
Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education spokesperson Karen Ogden said the development is not surprising.
“The Montana University System’s management of student records in this case all along has been based on a careful balancing act," she said. "We had to really weigh Montana’s open records laws with our legal obligation to protect student educational records.”
Krakauer had made a public records request for the documents in 2014 while writing the book "Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town."
Montana officials had denied Krakauer access to the documents related to former University of Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson, who was accused — and eventually found not guilty — of rape in 2012.
Krakauer says he will lobby Congress to get rid of the law used to justify withholding the documents.