On Tuesday, suspended Montana quarterback Jordan Johnson pleaded not guilty to charges of "raping a woman earlier this year after she invited him to her room to watch a movie," as the AP reports via Sports Illustrated.
Johnson entered his plea during an appearance before Judge Karen Townsend in Missoula on a charge of sexual intercourse without consent.
Johnson was released on his own recognizance after being fingerprinted and booked, which is "pretty standard practice" for a defendant who appeared voluntarily in response to a summons, Assistant Chief Deputy Missoula County Prosecutor Suzy Boylan said.
Earlier in 2012, an investigation found that a series of unreported sexual assault allegations had occurred over 18 months at the University of Montana campus, with an unspecified number of those cases involving student-athletes.
Because of the developments, the university is being investigated by the NCAA, the Department of Justice and the Department of Education. Johnson's next court date is set for Aug. 21.
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