Page 24 - Flathead Beacon // 4.2.14

24 | APRIL 2, 2014
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FLATHEADBEACON.COM

happiest we’d ever been,” she said.
GRAHAM
Molloy then outlined to Graham the
Continued from page 5
guidelines for sentencing. The judge said
he still didn’t fully believe Graham’s
In the end, U.S. District Judge Don version of events and that what she did
Molloy dismissed the motion to with- in the days following Johnson’s murder
draw the plea, allowing the sentencing were “the actions of someone who is only
to move forward. Before Molloy could interested in protecting herself.”
hand down his decision, however, attor- “She was a normal person on the sur-

neys on both sides argued about various face, but a normal person does not kill
enhancements to the charges. Among her husband of eight days and then lie
the enhancements was the prosecution’s about that,” he said. “I don’t think any-
desire to punish Graham for using mi- one will ever know what happened on
nors, speciically her brother Michael that ledge.”
Rutledge, in an attempt cover up her Next, members of Johnson’s family
crime when she told him to lie to friends spoke, urging the judge to issue a life sen-

and family about who found Johnson’s tence to Graham. Other than Johnson’s
body. On July 11, Rutledge was stand- mother, two uncles and an aunt spoke.
ing next to Graham when she found “Cody’s dream was to buy a home and
the body, but she apparently told the have a family and my dream was to be a
16-year-old to say that park rangers irst grandmother and watch those children
made the discovery. Molloy dismissed grow up,” Sherry Johnson said. “Today
this request from the prosecution.
and every day, I live with a broken heart.”
The defense followed by objecting to “Jordan should rot in prison,” John-

Graham having to pay $16,910.40 to the son’s uncle, Timothy Manning, said.
Department of the Interior for the cost “I’m not a religious man, but I do know
of a helicopter, supplies
that Jordan knows
‘thou shall not kill.’”
and overtime expenses
“Jordan Graham used in the efort to re-
“JORDAN SHOULD ROT
has taken a beautiful cover Johnson’s body at
IN PRISON. I’M NOT
place, Glacier National the bottom of a ravine.
A RELIGIOUS MAN,
Park, and made it noth- Donahoe argued that
ing more than a grave the National Park Ser-
BUT I DO KNOW THAT
site for this family,” Jer- vice was going to have
JORDAN KNOWS ‘THOU
ry Watson, another of to remove the body
Johnson’s uncles, said.
anyway, regardless of
SHALL NOT KILL.’”
Molloy then handed the criminal investiga-
down his sentence of tion. But Baucus said
Have you
or in
Timothy Manning, 365 months, or about the body would not have
Johnson’s Uncle
30 years, in prison, been at the bottom of
for at least 6 months,
with ive years of super- the ravine had Graham
lived, worked played
vised release. He also
not pushed him. Molloy
demanded that Graham reimburse the eventually ruled that Graham had to pay Libby, Montana
Department of Interior for its recovery for the recovery operations.
If so, you may be eligible for a free
eforts and ruled that she cannot make Shortly after 11:15 a.m., Donahoe and AT LEAST 10 YEARS AGO?
any money selling the story of what hap- Graham stood before the packed court-
pened to her husband. Graham was then room to ask the judge to deliver a lesser

led away in handcufs.
sentence. A second room with a live feed
Graham’s attorneys, Donahoe and of the court proceedings was set up for Asbestos
Andy Nelson, spoke with the media fol- the overlow crowd. Many of Johnson’s
lowing the ruling and said that it was up friends and family wore blue ribbons
to their client whether she would appeal with a small picture of him. In his i-
the sentencing. She has 14 days to ile nal arguments, Donahoe reasoned that
such a request. One of the attorneys also Graham was a child-like person who Health Screening

asked that the media and public respect was scared and even though she didn’t
the privacy of both families involved in tell law enforcement what happened for
the case.
nine days, she left clues of the truth be-
Following the sentencing, U.S. At- cause she felt guilty.
For more information, please call toll free
torney for the District of Montana Mi- “If we stick to the evidence, you’ll see
chael Cotter held a press conference. that this is a troubled person and the de- 1-855-891-CARD(2273)
During a prepared remark, he thanked ception she created was born of fear and
law enforcement oicials at all levels of panic,” he said. “But she left clues and
or visit us online at www.libbyasbestos.org
the investigation, including in the Ka- whatever credit you can give her for that,
lispell Police Department and at Glacier please do.”
National Park, for their hard work in the Graham then took to the podium and
case.
apologized to Johnson’s mother.
“The sentence imposed today will “I cannot imagine the amount of
never bring back Cody,” Cotter said. pain I caused you. I took the most pre-
“The sentence will not ill the void or cious gift you had and I’m sorry for that,”

erase the pain experienced every day by Graham said. “Life is a precious thing
Cody’s mother, who will live out the rest and it needs to be cherished. It can also
of her life without her only child, her son be taken in a split second.”
Cody, or without ever holding grand- She also wondered aloud what might
children in her arms. (But) it will send a have happened had she not pushed Caring Pathways to Treatment
message that if you kill someone and are Johnson of the clif, noting that their
subject to federal jurisdiction you will irst anniversary, June 29, would be just screening grant funded by the CDC
be prosecuted swiftly and severely pun- a few months away.

ished for your crime.”
“There could have even been a baby
[email protected]
on the way and we would have been the