Former Idaho lawmaker discovered 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 wherein the young 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 house after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. Von Ehlinger said the sex was consensual.

On the time, the Lewiston Republican was serving as a state representative, however he later resigned.

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

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

Afterward, 4th District Decide Michael Reardon advised the jury: “This has been an uncommon case attended by many surprising circumstances, but I respect your attention ... and hard work.”

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

As von Ehlinger was remanded into custody and handcuffed, he talked quietly along with his attorney who removed gadgets from von Ehlinger’s pockets.

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

Von Ehlinger’s lawyer, Jon Cox, could not be instantly reached for comment after the trial.

The Associated Press typically doesn't identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, and has referred to the girl on this case as “Jane Doe” at her request.

In a press conference, Ada County Prosecuting Legal professional Jan Bennetts thanked the jury, investigators and the prosecutors who handled the case.

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

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 stated.

At that, she stood up.

“I can’t do this,” she stated, shortly 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 informed the jurors they had to “strike (Doe’s testimony) from your minds as if it never occurred,” as a result of the defense couldn't cross-examine her.

In the course of the press conference, Deputy Prosecuting Lawyer Katelyn Farley stated the second Doe left the trial was “heart-wrenching,” however said she and deputy prosecutor Whitney Welsh had prepared for trial realizing that Doe could not be capable to testify.

“I think it’s vital that she determined to walk in the room, and she or he also decided to walk out — these were her decisions,” Welsh said.

Throughout his testimony Thursday, von Ehlinger often spoke in a transparent, loud voice on to jurors, saying he and Doe determined to return to his house to “hang around” after eating at a fancy Boise restaurant. Then they began making out on the couch, he stated.

“Issues had been going properly, and I requested (Doe) if she want to move to the bed room,” von Ehlinger said. “She stated ‘Sure.’ We received up, held hands and walked into the bed room.”

Deliberations stretched for seven hours till practically 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury determined to interrupt for the night. At one point, the choose summoned the attorneys to his chambers because the jury asked a query. No particulars have been made public in regards to the jury’s inquiry.

When the allegations became public — largely due to the legislative ethics investigation — Doe confronted unrelenting harassment from a few of von Ehlinger’s supporters. Her identify, picture and personal details about her life were repeatedly publicized in “doxxing” incidents. One of the people who steadily harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, but regulation enforcement banned the person from the floor the place the case was being heard.

Throughout closing arguments, Farley instructed jurors that the case was about “energy in the improper 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 said, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in a number of methods, she said, highlighting the testimony of law enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault.

“Phrases show lack of consent. Excuses of ‘Why this shouldn’t occur’ present lack of consent. Yanking your head again and getting an damage exhibits lack of consent,” Farley mentioned.

However von Ehlinger’s lawyer informed jurors the prosecution’s case was made up of “pink herrings,” and said von Ehlinger was a reputable person who willingly took the stand to share his aspect of the story.

The investigators and the nurse who carried out the sexual assault examination testified earlier this week. They mentioned Doe reported being pinned down while von Ehlinger compelled her to perform oral sex, and that she knew he frequently carried a handgun and had positioned it on a dresser close to the bed at the time of the assault. The nurse also testified that Doe had a “goose egg” on the back of her head from placing the wall or a headboard while making an attempt to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger’s grip.