A former Idaho lawmaker was convicted Friday of raping a 19-year-old law trainee after a dramatic trial in which a young woman ran away from a witness stand during testimony, saying, “I can’t do this.” According to the intern, who was named “Jane Doe” at her request, 39-year-old Aaron von Ellinger raped her in his apartment after the two had dinner at a restaurant in Boise in March 2021.
Von Ellinger was a state representative from Lewiston, but later resigned. He sat quietly while the verdict was read, as well as throughout the trial. Von Ellinger spoke quietly to his lawyer, who took items from his pockets while he was handcuffed and detained.
Fourth District Judge Michael Reardon then told the jury, “It was an unusual case, accompanied by many unexpected circumstances, but I appreciate your attention … and hard work.”
Aaron von Ellinger in court on April 27, 2022 in Boise, Idaho. Brian Mirik / The Idaho Press-Tribune via AP
Doe described on Friday, stopping the moment when the alleged attack began, before suddenly leaving the witness stand.
“He tried to put his toes between my legs and I closed my knees,” Doe said. And she stood up. “I can’t do that,” she said, and hurried out of the courtroom.
The judge gave prosecutors 10 minutes to find her to assess whether she would return and resume her testimony.
When she didn’t, the judge told the jury that they should “throw (Doe’s testimony) out of your mind as if it never happened,” because the defense can’t question her.
During his testimony on Thursday, von Ellinger often spoke clearly and loudly directly to jurors, saying he and Doe had decided to return to his apartment to “hang out” after eating. in the luxury restaurant Boise. Then they started playing on the couch, he said.
“Things were going well and I asked (Doe) if she would like to move to the bedroom,” von Ellinger said. She said, “Of course.” We got up, held hands, and went into the bedroom. “
He insisted that sex was by mutual consent.
The debate lasted seven hours to almost 20 hours on Thursday, before the jury decided to take a break for the evening. At one point, the judge called the lawyers to his courtroom because the jury asked a question. No details were released about the jury’s inquiry.
When the allegations became public – largely due to an investigation into legislative ethics – Doe faced relentless harassment from some of von Ellinger’s supporters. Her name, photo and personal details about her life have been repeatedly published in “docking” incidents.
One of the people who often harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, but police banned the man from the floor where the case is being heard.
During her closing remarks, Hell County Deputy Attorney Caitlin Farley told the jury that the case was about “power in the wrong hands” used for Dow’s “great devastation.” Von Ellinger had social, political and physical power over the junior trainee, Farley said.
“He used that force to rape and forcibly infiltrate it,” Farley said, pointing to von Ellinger. Doe resisted in several ways, she said, citing testimony from law enforcement investigators and a sexually assault nurse who interviewed Doe after the alleged assault.
“The words show a lack of agreement. The apology “Why this should not happen” shows a lack of agreement. “Turning your head back and getting injured shows a lack of consent,” Farley said.
But von Ellinger’s lawyer, John Cox, told jurors that the prosecution’s case was made up of “red herrings” and said von Ellinger was a reliable man who was willing to take his stand to share his side of the story.
Earlier this week, jurors heard from investigators and a nurse who conducted a rape test. They testified that Doe reported being pressured while von Ellinger forced her to have oral sex, and that she knew he often carried a gun and placed it on a chest of drawers near the bed during the attack. A nurse also testified that Doe had a goose egg on the back of her head from hitting a wall or backgammon as she tried to pull her head away from von Ellinger’s grasp.
Von Ellinger’s sentence is scheduled for July 28.
The United States offers help for survivors of sexual abuse and their families. RAINN offers resources at 1-800-656-HOPE and on their website www.rainn.org
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