BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A former Idaho lawmaker was once convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial by which the younger lady fled the witness stand all through testimony, announcing “I will’t do that.”
The intern informed a Statehouse manager that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his condominium after the 2 had dinner at a Boise eating place in March 2021. Von Ehlinger mentioned the intercourse was once consensual.
On the time, the Lewiston Republican was once serving as a state consultant, however he later resigned. Von Ehlinger, 39, was once discovered responsible Friday of rape. He was once discovered now not responsible of sexual penetration with a international object.
Von Ehlinger sat flippantly as the decision was once learn, as he has right through the trial.
Later on, 4th District Pass judgement on Michael Reardon informed the jury: “This has been an peculiar case attended via many surprising cases, however I admire your consideration … and difficult paintings.”
A legal rape conviction carries a minimal sentence of 1 yr in jail in Idaho. The utmost penalty may also be as prime as existence in jail, on the pass judgement on’s discretion. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 28.
As von Ehlinger was once remanded into custody and handcuffed, he talked quietly along with his lawyer who got rid of pieces from von Ehlinger’s wallet.
The prosecution remained stoic as they left the court docket, however when they reached a decrease ground they stopped to in brief to congratulate each and every different at the verdict.
Von Ehlinger’s lawyer, Jon Cox, may now not be straight away reached for remark after the trial. The Related Press in most cases does now not establish 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 Legal professional Jan Bennetts thanked the jury, investigators and the prosecutors who treated the case.
“Remaining however now not least, it took an out of this world quantity of braveness for the sufferer on this case, Jane Doe, to return ahead,” Bennetts mentioned. “I wish to recognize the braveness that she took in coming ahead.”
Doe testified on the second one day of the trial. She haltingly described the moments the alleged attack started, earlier than rapidly leaving the witness stand.
“He attempted to position his palms between my legs and I closed my knees,” Doe mentioned.
“I will’t do that,” she mentioned, briefly strolling out of the court docket.
The pass judgement on gave the prosecuting lawyers 10 mins to seek out her to resolve if she would go back and resume her testimony.
When she didn’t, the pass judgement on informed the jurors they needed to “strike (Doe’s testimony) out of your minds as though it by no means came about,” since the protection may now not cross-examine her.
All through the clicking convention, Deputy Prosecuting Legal professional Katelyn Farley mentioned the instant Doe left the trial was once “heart-wrenching,” however mentioned she and deputy prosecutor Whitney Welsh had ready for trial figuring out that Doe won’t have the ability to testify.
“I believe it’s essential that she made up our minds to stroll within the room, and he or she additionally made up our minds to stroll out — the ones have been her possible choices,” Welsh mentioned.
All through his testimony Thursday, von Ehlinger steadily spoke in a transparent, loud voice without delay to jurors, announcing he and Doe made up our minds to go back to his condominium to “hang around” after consuming at a complicated Boise eating place. Then they started making out at the sofa, he mentioned.
“Issues have been going neatly, and I requested (Doe) if she want to transfer to the bed room,” von Ehlinger mentioned. “She mentioned ‘Positive.’ We were given up, held palms and walked into the bed room.”
Deliberations stretched for seven hours till just about 8 p.m. Thursday earlier than the jury made up our minds to wreck for the night. At one level, the pass judgement on summoned the lawyers to his chambers since the jury requested a query. No main points have been made public concerning the jury’s inquiry.
When the allegations changed into public — in large part on account of the legislative ethics investigation — Doe confronted unrelenting harassment from a few of von Ehlinger’s supporters. Her title, picture and private information about her existence have been time and again publicized in “doxxing” incidents. One of the crucial individuals who ceaselessly burdened her was once within the courthouse to wait the trial, however legislation enforcement banned the person from the ground the place the case was once being heard.
All through last arguments, Farley informed jurors that the case was once about “energy within the fallacious palms” used to the “nice devastation” of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and bodily energy 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 numerous techniques, she mentioned, highlighting the testimony of legislation enforcement investigators and a nurse sexual attack examiner who interviewed Doe after the alleged attack.
“Phrases display loss of consent. Excuses of ‘Why this shouldn’t occur’ display loss of consent. Yanking your head again and getting an damage displays loss of consent,” Farley mentioned.
However von Ehlinger’s lawyer informed jurors the prosecution’s case was once made up of “crimson herrings,” and mentioned von Ehlinger was once a reputable one that willingly took the stand to proportion his facet of the tale.
The investigators and the nurse who carried out the sexual attack examination testified previous this week. They mentioned Doe reported being pinned down whilst von Ehlinger compelled her to accomplish oral intercourse, and that she knew he ceaselessly carried a handgun and had positioned it on a cloth cabinet close to the mattress on the time of the attack. The nurse additionally testified that Doe had a “goose egg” at the again of her head from hanging the wall or a headboard whilst looking to jerk her head clear of von Ehlinger’s grip.