The Idaho Supreme Court is hearing an appeal in the rape conviction of former lawmaker Aaron Von Ehlinger

BOISE (KIV– The legal team for former Idaho state Rep. Aaron Von Ehlinger, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence following his 2022 conviction for raping a legislative intern, appeared Monday morning for a critical hearing before the Idaho Supreme Court. Von Ehlinger’s attorney argues that improper testimony was allowed during his trial, which violated his Sixth Amendment rights.

During the Nov. 4 hearing, von Ehlinger’s attorneys focused primarily on the claims involving the Sixth Amendment’s confrontation clause, with his defense team arguing that he was denied the right to directly confront his accuser.

The prosecution’s case relied significantly on testimony from a forensic nurse who interviewed the victim after she gave brief testimony but left the stand before cross-examination. Von Ehlinger’s attorneys argue that allowing the nurse to relay the victim’s story denied the defense a fair opportunity to question key testimony in the case.

The second argument from Von Ehlinger’s attorneys questions the scope of the forensic nurse’s testimony. They allege that the questions asked of the nurse led her to discuss specific details of the alleged assault that went beyond her medical expertise, making her testimony less about clinical observation and more about relaying the alleged events.

However, the state defended the court’s decision to include the nurse’s testimony, arguing that it was essential for medical purposes and did not exceed evidentiary limits.

Prosecutors also emphasized that von Ehlinger’s defense did not object to this testimony at trial, suggesting that they found it acceptable at the time.

If the Idaho Supreme Court sides with Von Ehlinger, he could get a new trial.