Christina Clinkscales sued Justin Jahn in August 2006, claiming the former Breckenridge bellman had sexually assaulted her a year earlier, when she was eighteen ("Out of Bounds," November 29). Justin, who maintains that the sex was consensual and who earlier was found not guilty of sexual assault in criminal court, countersued, saying Christina had slandered him.
A three-day civil trial that considered both cases wrapped up in a Summit County courtroom on Friday, November 30, and the jury returned Saturday evening to deliberate. It was 2:30 a.m. on Sunday before a verdict was finally reached. Justin says the jury decided that his claims weren't substantiated, but couldn't agree on Christina's charges. As a result, Christina can take Justin back to court or give him a chance to settle — something Justin says he won't do. His account of the verdict couldn't be confirmed, however. His lawyer, Todd Calvert, said in an e-mail that the judge had issued a gag order preventing him and his opposing counsel, Karen Steinhauser, and their clients from commenting "until the case is resolved. It is unknown when the case will be resolved."
Justin and Christina met while Christina was staying at the Village at Breckenridge with her younger sister and her mother, who was on a business trip. Justin, then 26, believed Christina was flirting with him, and the two hung out together before drinking alcohol and having sex in an empty hotel room, according to court testimony. When Christina's mother found out, she called the police, who eventually arrested Justin and charged him with assault. He was found not guilty in July 2006.
