On November 6, 2021, Isabella Malherbe was violently raped by her partner, Robert Rodney Vaughn Jr.  

Like millions of other women, Isabella had been subjected to ongoing domestic violence at the hands of her partner for years. She was sexually assaulted, battered and abused hundreds of times. Vaughn wasn't just her partner—he was the father of her child, which made it all the more difficult to report him. But, finally, she found the strength to do it. On July 14, 2022, Vaughn was arrested.  

The Marion County District Attorney's Office in Salem, Oregon, filed three charges against Vaughn: two counts of Rape in the First Degree (a Measure 11 crime in the state of Oregon that carries a mandatory minimum of approximately six years of prison time) and one count of Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence. Vaughn was formally arraigned and held in the county jail until he posted bail approximately two weeks later. 

Isabella's case was stronger than the vast majority of rape cases that make it to the district attorney's office. It was not a he-said-she-said case. There were witnesses. There was DNA evidence. There was a rape kit. There were photographs. Isabella was a cooperative victim. Expert witnesses in the field of sexual and domestic violence were available to testify on her behalf. Like any criminal case, it had its weaknesses, but none that were too difficult to overcome. 

Despite the strength of the case, and despite not yet having the results of the DNA test, the Marion County District Attorney's Office offered Vaughn a plea deal: one count of felony Coercion, one count of Sexual Assault in the Third Degree (not rape), and one count of Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence. Vaughn accepted the offer. He was given no jail or prison time and was placed on three years of probation. 

This is not justice. What the Marion County District Attorney's Office has done is send a resounding message to all survivors of sexual and domestic violence that even in the strongest of cases, there will be no fight for justice for the victims. 

Only two percent of criminal cases go to trial; the rest resolve in plea deals. Even so, the plea deal offered to Vaughn is abhorrent. In the state of Oregon, there are three charges for rape: Rape in the First, Second and Third degrees. Vaughn was not convicted of rape, and there is no excuse for that. What he pled to does not reflect, in any manner whatsoever, the severity of the crimes committed against Isabella. After discussing the case with numerous district attorneys from other offices, the least that Vaughn should have pled to should have been Rape in the Second Degree. The resolution was, plain and simple, a reflection of weakness on behalf of the Marion County District Attorney's Office. 

Isabella reported to the police. She left her rapist and abuser. She went to the hospital. She obtained a rape kit. She consented to having photographs taken and examinations performed. DNA evidence was obtained. She cooperated with investigators. She provided additional evidence. She had the strength and willingness to go to trial. She repeatedly voiced that she did not approve of the plea deal. She did everything that women are told to do, and are faulted for not doing when they are assaulted. Yet still, Vaughn was not convicted of rape. 

It is impossible to undo the injustice that occurred in Isabella's case. It is, however, possible to demand explanations, apologies and change from the Marion County District Attorney's Office to ensure that what happened to Isabella does not happen to anyone else again. 

By signing this Petition, you are requesting that: 

1. An independent investigation be conducted to determine who was involved in the decision making regarding the plea deal in Isabella's case, and how and why that plea deal was given to Vaughn.
2. The Marion County District Attorney's Office issue a formal, public apology to Isabella Malherbe. 
3. The Marion County District Attorney's Office provide a public explanation as to how this grave injustice occurred. 
4. The Marion County District Attorney's Office commit to conveying offers that appropriately reflect the strength of their cases and the severity of the crimes committed against victims. 
5. The Marion County District Attorney's Office agree not to offer plea deals when DNA evidence is obtained and the results have not yet been procured. 
6. Lastly, the Marion County District Attorney's Office provide Isabella Malherbe with a remedy to right the wrongs that took place. 

One of us is all of us. Please stand with Isabella by signing this Petition.