Krakauer: Court ruling on privacy hurts right to know

HELENA, Mont. – Jon Krakauer says a court ruling that denies him documents detailing how a University of Montana quarterback’s expulsion over a rape allegation was overturned may set a precedent that harms the public’s ability to access government records.

The author of “Into Thin Air” and “Into the Wild” made his first public comments about last week’s 4-3 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court by email to The Associated Press.

The court said former quarterback Jordan Johnson’s privacy as a student outweighed Krakauer’s right to know what action Montana’s higher education commissioner took to reverse Johnson’s expulsion over the 2012 allegation.

Johnson was later acquitted in state court.

Krakauer says he believes he has a moral obligation to address what he called the flawed decision and is considering petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court.