Former Idaho state representative convicted of raping intern

A Former Idaho state representative was found guilty Friday of raping a 19-year-old female legislative intern last year.

The intern told a State house supervisor that ex-state Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger raped her at his apartment following a dinner they had at a Boise restaurant in March 2021, the Associated Press reported. The Republican lawmaker said the sex was consensual. He later resigned from his elected office.

Von Ehlinger, 39, was convicted of rape but found not guilty of sexual penetration with a foreign object, according to the news wire.

His sentencing is scheduled for July 28.

During the woman's testimony, she walked out of the courtroom saying, "I can't do this."

After she did not return to finish her testimony, the judge told the jury to strike what she said from their memory because she could not be cross-examined by the defense, the wire service also reports.

The intern's allegations became public largely due to a legislative ethics investigation and resulted in her facing harassment from some supporters of von Ehlinger.

Personal details about her life, as well as her name and photo, were publicized in multiple "doxxing" incidents. While a man who frequently harassed her was in the courthouse to attend the trial, law enforcement banned him from the floor where the hearing took place, according to the news outlet.

Jurors heard testimony earlier this week from investigators and a nurse who performed a rape exam on the woman.

They testified that she reported von Ehlinger pinning her down and forcing her to perform oral sex. The intern said she was aware that he had placed the handgun he frequently carried on a dresser near the bed at the time of the assault, the news wire reported.

The nurse said in her testimony that the woman had a "goose egg" on the back of her head from hitting either a wall or headboard while attempting to jerk away from von Ehlinger's grip.