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.