October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October 05, 2012 at 3:31 PM
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month; the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office focuses on Domestic Violence cases year round and works with our Victim's Assistance Program and other community organizations such as Saving Grace.
This week trial was scheduled in State v. Don H. Vandenberg Jr., the defendant was charged with Assault in the Fourth Degree Constituting Domestic Violence against a prior victim, Coercion, Menacing Constituting Domestic Violence and Contempt of Court (for violation of a no contact order). Vandenberg had been convicted in 2011 of assaulting the same victim and had eight other known convictions for assault, many of which were domestic violence related.
On the day of trial, no plea negotiations were offered by the District Attorney’s Office. The defendant pled guilty to all charges in the Indictment which included aggravating factors based on his criminal history. DDA Drew Moore sought an upward departure from the presumptive sentence. Judge Michael Sullivan granted this request and sentenced the defendant to 54 months in prison, departing upwards for substantial and compelling reasons based on his history and the criminal conduct the defendant engaged in.
For more information about Domestic Violence Awareness Month, go to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence website at http://www.ncadv.org/takeaction/DomesticViolenceAwarenessMonth.php