Idaho Supreme Court Upholds Former Legislator’s Rape Conviction

March 25, 2025

A felony rape case involving a former Idaho legislator and a statehouse intern has finally reached its conclusion.

Last month, the Idaho Supreme Court rendered a final decision in the case of Aaron von Ehlinger, who in 2022 was charged and convicted of raping a 19-year-old legislative intern by an Ada County jury. After a series of appeals, the Supreme Court issued a 16-page ruling upholding the conviction by finding that there was sufficient evidence to find “beyond a reasonable doubt” that von Ehlinger sexually assaulted the intern in March of 2021.

Von Ehlinger is incarcerated at a state prison in Orofino and was initially ordered to serve at least eight years.

Marsy’s Law of Idaho paid close attention to this case because it involved shameful efforts to bully, blame, and harass the victim. That campaign was led by another former legislator, Priscilla Giddings, who shared a news article that identified the victim. Giddings was later removed from a legislative committee and censured before exiting the state political scene after losing her race for Lieutenant Governor.

The victim later filed a federal lawsuit against von Ehlinger and Giddings, accusing them of violating her privacy rights, defamation, and inflicting negative emotional harm and distress.