Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

by Jon Krakauer

AFTER PABST FINISHED her direct testimony, prosecutor Adam Duerk strode to the dais to cross-examine the witness. He asked if Johnson thought Washburn was smart, and Johnson said yes. “You thought she was a nice girl, correct?” Duerk inquired. “Yes,” Johnson answered. “And you never really thought of Cecilia Washburn as a good friend….You didn’t know Cecilia Washburn very well through any of this; is that fair?” “Yes.” “But you liked her….You went out on a few dates together?”… “Yes.”… “You didn’t see anything in Cecilia Washburn that indicated to you that she was mean?”… “No.” “You didn’t see anything on those dates…that made you think that she was crazy, correct?” “Correct.” Adam Duerk pointed out to Jordan Johnson that he never really had a “boyfriend-girlfriend relationship” with Washburn “and the relationship that you did have, to the extent one existed, you didn’t really think it was going anywhere….In fact, you thought it was going nowhere, correct?” “Yeah.”… “Now, in terms of your relationship with Kelli Froland, there was a relationship there; fair?” “Yes.”… “You went on dates with Kelli?” “Yes.” “You brought her over to your house?”… “Yes.”… “So she met your family?”… “Yes.” “Nothing like that ever happened with Cecilia Washburn, correct?” “Correct.” Duerk paused for a moment, then asked Johnson about the sex that took place when Washburn was kneeling on the bed, facedown with her buttocks raised, as he penetrated her from the rear. “While you’re having sex with ...

Testimony