Former Idaho Rep. von Ehlinger was found guilty of rape. A timeline of what happened
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Aaron von Ehlinger rape case
Former Idaho state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger, R-Lewiston, was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern by a 12-person jury in April. He is expected to be sentenced Wednesday, Aug. 31.
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After a three-day trial and 11 hours of deliberation, former state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger was found guilty on Friday of raping a legislative intern in March 2021.
The former lawmaker could face anywhere from one year to life in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender. He was immediately taken into police custody on Friday and was booked into the Ada County Jail. His sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on July 28.
Here’s a timeline of events, starting with a news release on the sexual assault allegation against von Ehlinger and ending with Friday’s guilty verdict.
April 16, 2021: While serving his first term representing the 6th Legislative District in North Idaho, von Ehlinger acknowledged in a news release to The Lewiston Tribune that he had been accused of “unconsented sexual contact” with an adult volunteer on the legislative staff in Boise.
Von Ehlinger denied the accusations and said he fully cooperated with the House ethics committee, which had fielded a complaint and found probable cause to believe he had engaged in “conduct unbecoming” a House member. An ethics complaint against a lawmaker becomes public only after the committee finds probable cause.
The legislative committee also publicly released the ethics complaint lodged against von Ehlinger by House Republican leaders and other documents. Released information showed that a legislative staffer had reported the alleged sexual assault to the Boise Police Department for a criminal investigation.
The 19-year-old legislative intern’s name was redacted, and she continued to be kept anonymous in any documents released by the House. The accuser in an interview with lawmakers said that von Ehlinger took her to dinner and back to his apartment, where he orally penetrated her, despite her saying “no.”
April 19, 2021: A spokesperson for the Boise Police Department confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that police have an open criminal investigation into the allegation against von Ehlinger.
April 26, 2021: The Statesman through a records request obtained more documents relating to the ethics hearing, and found that von Ehlinger was warned in the past about his behavior toward multiple women and told to stop.
April 28, 2021: Von Ehlinger testified in front of a panel of House lawmakers, saying he did not know of any written rule he had violated. The ethics committee also subpoenaed the accuser.
The intern, who was referred to as Jane Doe during the testimony, testified from a concealed location and reiterated her previous statement that von Ehlinger had forced her to perform oral sex.
April 29, 2021: Von Ehlinger resigned from his position as a state representative. The resignation came just hours after the House ethics panel recommended expelling von Ehlinger after it ruled that he had engaged in “conduct unbecoming” a House member.
Sept. 9, 2021: An arrest warrant was issued by Ada County’s 4th District Court on two felony charges — rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object.
Sept. 25, 2021: After traveling to Central America in May 2021 on a previously planned vacation, his attorney said, von Ehlinger was arrested in Georgia upon his return to the U.S. and booked into Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, south of Atlanta.
Von Ehlinger’s attorney, Jon Cox, said that his client had planned to turn himself in but missed a connecting flight to Houston and instead flew to Atlanta.
April 26, 2022: Opening statements for the trial began. The jury also heard testimony, including from Anne Wardle, the nurse who performed the sexual assault kit on the accuser, known as J.V. in court.
Wardle said that J.V. told her she was pulled onto a couch by von Ehlinger and forced to sit next to him. She also said J.V. had told her that von Ehlinger had pinned down her arms at one point.
April 27, 2022: A jury of seven men and six women listened to J.V.’s testimony, but after just five minutes on the stand, she left abruptly, saying, “I can’t do this.”
Since von Ehlinger’s attorney could not cross-examine her, the judge instructed the jury to strike her testimony.
April 28, 2022: Von Ehlinger took the stand in a nearly two-hour testimony, when he continued to say J.V. did not “give any indication that she was not wanting to participate.”
April 29, 2022: Von Ehlinger was found guilty on the rape charge and not guilty on the forcible penetration charge. He was immediately taken into police custody and was booked into jail.
This story was originally published April 29, 2022 at 6:57 PM.
