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 through which the young woman fled the witness stand throughout testimony, saying “I can’t do that.”

The intern instructed a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his house after the 2 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, but he later resigned.

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

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

Afterward, 4th District Judge Michael Reardon instructed the jury: “This has been an unusual case attended by many unexpected circumstances, but I respect your consideration ... and arduous work.”

A felony rape conviction carries a minimum sentence of one yr in jail in Idaho. The maximum penalty will be as high as life in prison, at the choose’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 eliminated items from von Ehlinger’s pockets.

The prosecution remained stoic as they left the courtroom, but once they reached a decrease flooring they stopped to briefly to congratulate one another on the decision.

Von Ehlinger’s legal professional, Jon Cox, couldn't be instantly reached for remark after the trial.

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

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

“Last however not least, it took an unimaginable quantity of braveness for the victim 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 started, earlier than abruptly leaving the witness stand.

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

At that, she stood up.

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

The judge 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 instructed the jurors they needed to “strike (Doe’s testimony) out of your minds as if it by no means happened,” as a result of the protection could not cross-examine her.

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

“I think it’s essential that she decided to walk in the room, and he or she additionally determined to stroll out — those had been her selections,” Welsh stated.

Throughout his testimony Thursday, von Ehlinger typically spoke in a transparent, loud voice directly to jurors, saying he and Doe determined to return to his apartment to “hang around” after consuming at a elaborate Boise restaurant. Then they started making out on the sofa, he mentioned.

“Things were going nicely, and I requested (Doe) if she would like to move to the bed room,” von Ehlinger stated. “She stated ‘Positive.’ We got up, held hands and walked into the bed room.”

Deliberations stretched for seven hours till almost 8 p.m. Thursday earlier than the jury decided to break for the night. At one level, the decide summoned the attorneys to his chambers as a result of the jury requested a question. No details had been made public in regards to the jury’s inquiry.

When the allegations turned public — largely due to the legislative ethics investigation — Doe faced unrelenting harassment from some of von Ehlinger’s supporters. Her identify, photo and personal details about her life had been repeatedly publicized in “doxxing” incidents. One of the individuals who ceaselessly harassed her was within the courthouse to attend the trial, but regulation enforcement banned the person from the floor where the case was being heard.

During closing arguments, Farley instructed jurors that the case was about “energy within the mistaken arms” 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 mentioned, highlighting the testimony of regulation enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual assault examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault.

“Words show lack of consent. Excuses of ‘Why this shouldn’t occur’ show lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an injury exhibits lack of consent,” Farley said.

But von Ehlinger’s attorney informed jurors the prosecution’s case was made up of “red herrings,” and said von Ehlinger was a credible one who willingly took the stand to share his side 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 forced her to carry out oral intercourse, and that she knew he often carried a handgun and had positioned it on a dresser near 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 hanging the wall or a headboard while attempting to jerk her head away from von Ehlinger’s grip.