by BRIAN GAWLEY
Sequim Gazette

Jury selection in Aaron Hahn’s murder solicitation trial should begin Oct. 12 thanks to the Oct. 1 capture of a material witness by Sequim Police Department K-9 Officer Chase.

Hahn, 28, of Gresham, Ore., faces a possible life sentence for allegedly trying to hire a fellow inmate to kill a teenage Sequim girl with whom he had had a sexual relationship. He is being held in Clallam County Jail on $1 million bail.

The trial that began Sept. 23 with preliminary motions was slowed and possibly headed for dismissal because the prosecution couldn’t locate Norman Livengood.

The 30-year-old Livengood was captured Thursday afternoon Oct. 1 by the Sequim police dog hiding along the Dungeness River. He is held in Clallam County Jail on $100,000 bail.

Ralph Anderson, Hahn’s defense attorney, said preliminary motions would  continue this week but jury selection was delayed until Oct. 12.

Neither the attorney nor the court wanted to keep the current jury panel beyond its two-week term, he said.

Hahn also has an Oct. 15 “real facts hearing” to challenge the pre-sentence investigation for his July 20 conviction on a sexual exploitation of a minor charge.

Hahn entered an “Alford plea” to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor on July 20. The plea means he doesn’t admit guilt but concedes the state likely could prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors recommend 36 months in prison with credit for time served, three to four years probation and $2,150 in fines and court costs.

Nine other charges were dropped as part of the agreement, including four counts of child rape, one of possessing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and one of stalking/domestic violence.

Hahn contends the pre-sentence investigation includes information from those nine charges that were dropped.