The family of Scott Johnson, a gay American man who fell to his death 35 years ago at a popular Australian gay meeting place, has finally found closure after an Australian citizen, Scott White, pled guilty to manslaughter in the case.
Johnson’s death was initially ruled a suicide, but his family never stopped fighting for the truth. In 2017, a new coroner’s report concluded that Johnson had fallen from the cliff as a result of violence by someone who attacked him because they perceived him to be homosexual.
Investigators believe that White and Johnson had gone to the cliffs near Sydney, a popular gay hangout, after meeting at a nearby hotel. At some point during the encounter, White panicked and punched Johnson, causing him to fall to his death below.
White was arrested in 2020 after Johnson’s brother offered a $1 million Australian reward. He initially pleaded not guilty to the murder, but later surprised his lawyers and the courtroom by pleading guilty in January 2022. However, his lawyers said he often makes impulsive decisions when under stress and tried to withdraw his plea. The court initially refused to do so and sentenced him to 12 years and 7 months in prison, but the conviction was overturned three months ago.
Today, White pled guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter after police intercepted a prison phone call between White and a relative in which he confessed to striking Johnson at the top of the cliff. Johnson’s brother, Steve Johnson, expressed anger at the confession but said that the guilty plea brings some sense of closure for the family.
White will return to court on June 6 to be sentenced for the crime, which serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for justice in LGBTQ+ cases.