Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Idaho politician convicted of rape
Jury finds ex-lawmaker guilty of assaulting legislative intern
BOISE, Idaho — A former Idaho lawmaker was convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern after a dramatic trial in which the young woman fled the witness stand during testimony, saying “I can’t do this.”
The intern told a Statehouse supervisor that Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment after the two had dinner at a Boise restaurant in March 2021. He said the sex was consensual.
At the time, von Ehlinger was a Republican state representative from Lewiston, but he later resigned.
Von Ehlinger, 39, was found guilty Friday of rape. He was acquitted of sexual penetration with a foreign object.
Afterward, 4th District Judge Michael Reardon told the jury: “This has been an unusual case attended by many unexpected circumstances, but I appreciate your attention … and hard work.”
A felony rape conviction carries a minimum sentence of one year in prison in Idaho. The maximum penalty can be as high as life in prison, at the judge’s discretion. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 28.
Von Ehlinger’s attorney, Jon Cox, could not be immediately reached for comment after the trial.
The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted and has referred to the woman in this case as “Jane Doe” at her request.
In a news conference, Ada County Prosecuting Attorney Jan Bennetts thanked the jury, investigators and the prosecutors that handled the case against von Ehlinger.
“Last but not least it took an incredible amount of courage for the victim in this case, Jane Doe, to come forward,” Bennetts said. “I want 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.
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 judge told the jurors they had to “strike [Doe’s testimony] from your minds as if it never happened,” because the defense could not cross-examine her.
During his testimony Thursday, von Ehlinger often spoke in a clear, loud voice directly to jurors, saying he and Doe decided to return to his apartment to “hang out” after eating at an upscale Boise restaurant.
Deliberations stretched for seven hours until nearly 8 p.m. Thursday before the jury decided to break for the evening. At one point, the judge summoned the attorneys to his chambers because the jury asked a question. No details were made public about the jury’s inquiry.
During closing arguments, Ada County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Katelyn Farley told jurors that the case was about “power in the wrong hands” used to the “great devastation” of Doe. Von Ehlinger had social, political and physical power over the petite intern, Farley said.
“He used that power to rape and forcibly penetrate her,” Farley said, pointing at von Ehlinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she said, highlighting the testimony of law 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 happen,’ show lack of consent. Yanking your head back and getting an injury shows lack of consent,” Farley said.
But von Ehlinger’s defense attorney told jurors the prosecution’s case was made up of “red herrings,” and said von Ehlinger was a credible person who willingly took the stand to share his side of the story.