College Football

Student conduct case against ex-Vol A.J. Johnson dismissed

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:10 p.m. ET

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) An administrative law judge has dismissed a University of Tennessee conduct case against former Volunteers football player A.J. Johnson, which has no bearing on his upcoming criminal trial on aggravated rape charges.

Katrice Jones Morgan ruled Monday the school no longer has jurisdiction in the student conduct case because Johnson graduated in December 2014. The university plans to appeal the ruling.

Johnson and former teammate Michael Williams face aggravated rape charges in connection with a November 2014 incident in Knoxville.

Morgan's ruling notes ''the university neither placed a disciplinary hold on his record nor imposed an interim suspension to postpone the awarding of his degree and thereby preserve jurisdiction.'' The school has been sued over its handling of assault complaints against athletes.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel first reported the ruling.