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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Ex-UI Player Part Of ‘60 Minutes’ Expose

A former University of Idaho basketball player was the focus of a "60 Minutes" segment Sunday night -- and not in a good way. Apparently, Steffan Johnson was given a full-ride scholarship to the University of Idaho basketball team three months after he was one of three individuals expelled for an alleged sexual assault from the University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Johnson, who played in 2009-10 for the Vandals, claimed before a judicial board at University of Pacific that he wasn't present at the sexual assault. Head Vandal coach Don Verlin and associate head coach from the University of Pacific, Ron Verlin, are twin brothers. Don Verlin told a local newspaper he recruited Johnson after talking to his brother. The "60 Minutes" promo reads: "In 'The Case of Beckett Brennan,' Katie Couric reports on a female college basketball player named Beckett Brennan who says she was raped by three athletes at the college. The University Judicial Review board did not help her as they should have, and she has had to come forward in order to get justice." Video here. And: Amanda Hess/TBD story here. (AP file photo: Utah State forward Brady Jardine, left, reaches around to steal the ball from Idaho guard Steffan Johnson during their game Wednesday Feb. 3, 2010, in Logan Utah)

Question: Should UIdaho basketball coach Don Verlin have taken a chance on Steffan Johnson?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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