A Dane County jury convicted 42-year-old Aidison Yang last month for a 2005 sexual assault in Madison’s east side Atwood Neighborhood. Yang was charged with three counts of first degree sexual assault by use or threat of a dangerous weapon.
Yang sexually assaulted the victim, a then 22-year-old female graduate student, by leading her behind the brush of a bike path at knifepoint, according to a criminal complaint filed against Yang last year. The victim expected “she was going to die painfully” at Yang’s hands and described the assault as “demeaning” and “vile.”
Yang was arrested on Feb. 10, 2023 because of DNA collected from the victim’s forensic nurse exam following the assault. That information was entered into CODIS, an FBI database that generates investigative leads with DNA evidence collected from crime scenes.
His conviction was possible despite Wisconsin’s statute of limitations because of the database’s “hit” in 2020.
“Justice is finally being served for the violent crimes the defendant committed in 2005,” Wisconsin Attorney General Kaul said in a Feb. 23 press release. “I’m grateful to the many people who have worked together to hold the defendant accountable.”
Yang was prosecuted by Wisconsin Assistant Attorneys General Noel Lawrence and Stephanie Hilton. His conviction was a joint effort between institutions, including the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative team, the Madison Police Department and the Rape Crisis Center: Sexual Violence Resource Center.
The woman, who remained anonymous throughout proceedings, received her master’s degree at UW-Madison and a doctorate at another institution. She is now an out-of-state college professor.
Yang’s sentencing hearing date is yet to be determined.
Sreejita Patra is a senior staff writer and the former summer ad sales manager for The Daily Cardinal. She has written for breaking news, campus news and arts and has done extensive reporting on the 2024 presidential race. She also covered the Oregon Village Board for the Oregon Observer.
