Former Idaho lawmaker found guilty of raping intern

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho lawmaker was convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial by which the younger woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying “I can’t do this.”

The intern informed a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his condominium after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. Von Ehlinger stated the sex was consensual.

At the time, the Lewiston Republican was serving as a state consultant, but he later resigned.

Von Ehlinger, 39, was found guilty Friday of rape. He was discovered not responsible of sexual penetration with a foreign object.

Von Ehlinger sat calmly as the verdict was read, as he has all through the trial.

Afterward, 4th District Decide Michael Reardon advised the jury: “This has been an unusual case attended by many sudden circumstances, but I recognize your consideration ... and laborious work.”

A felony rape conviction carries a minimum sentence of 1 yr in prison in Idaho. The maximum penalty may be as excessive as life in prison, at the decide’s discretion. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 28.

As von Ehlinger was remanded into custody and handcuffed, he talked quietly together with his legal professional who removed items from von Ehlinger’s pockets.

The prosecution remained stoic as they left the courtroom, but once they reached a lower floor they stopped to briefly to congratulate one another on the verdict.

Von Ehlinger’s legal professional, Jon Cox, could not be immediately reached for remark after the trial.

The Related Press usually doesn't determine individuals who say they've been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the lady in this case as “Jane Doe” at her request.

In a press convention, Ada County Prosecuting Lawyer Jan Bennetts thanked the jury, investigators and the prosecutors who handled the case.

“Final but not least, it took an unbelievable quantity of courage for the sufferer in this case, Jane Doe, to come back ahead,” Bennetts mentioned. “I wish to acknowledge the courage that she took in coming forward.”

Doe testified on the second day of the trial. She haltingly described the moments the alleged assault began, before abruptly leaving the witness stand.

“He tried to put his fingers between my legs and I closed my knees,” Doe mentioned.

At that, she stood up.

“I can’t do that,” she stated, quickly walking out of the courtroom.

The choose gave the prosecuting attorneys 10 minutes to find her to determine if she would return and resume her testimony.

When she did not, the choose told the jurors they had to “strike (Doe’s testimony) out of your minds as if it by no means happened,” as a result of the defense could not cross-examine her.

During the press convention, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley stated the moment Doe left the trial was “heart-wrenching,” but said she and deputy prosecutor Whitney Welsh had ready for trial knowing that Doe could not be capable to testify.

“I feel it’s essential that she decided to stroll within the room, and she or he also determined to walk out — these had been her choices,” Welsh stated.

Throughout his testimony Thursday, von Ehlinger usually spoke in a clear, loud voice directly to jurors, saying he and Doe determined to return to his condominium to “hang around” after eating at a flowery Boise restaurant. Then they started making out on the sofa, he mentioned.

“Things were going properly, and I asked (Doe) if she wish to transfer to the bed room,” von Ehlinger stated. “She stated ‘Positive.’ We obtained up, held fingers and walked into the bedroom.”

Deliberations stretched for seven hours until nearly 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury determined to interrupt for the night. At one point, the judge summoned the attorneys to his chambers as a result of the jury requested a question. No details had been made public about the jury’s inquiry.

When the allegations turned public — largely because of the legislative ethics investigation — Doe confronted unrelenting harassment from some of von Ehlinger’s supporters. Her identify, photograph and personal details about her life had been repeatedly publicized in “doxxing” incidents. One of the people who regularly harassed her was within the courthouse to attend the trial, however legislation enforcement banned the man from the floor the place the case was being heard.

Throughout closing arguments, Farley told jurors that the case was about “energy in the flawed fingers” used to the “great devastation” of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and bodily power over the petite intern, Farley mentioned.

“He used that energy to rape and forcibly penetrate her,” Farley mentioned, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she stated, highlighting the testimony of regulation enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault.

“Words present lack of consent. Excuses of ‘Why this shouldn’t happen’ present lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an harm exhibits lack of consent,” Farley mentioned.

However von Ehlinger’s lawyer instructed jurors the prosecution’s case was made up of “red herrings,” and mentioned von Ehlinger was a reputable one who willingly took the stand to share his aspect of the story.

The investigators and the nurse who performed the sexual assault examination testified earlier this week. They said Doe reported being pinned down whereas von Ehlinger forced her to carry out oral intercourse, and that she knew he ceaselessly carried a handgun and had positioned it on a dresser close to the bed on the time of the assault. The nurse also testified that Doe had a “goose egg” on the again of her head from striking the wall or a headboard whereas making an attempt to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger’s grip.