08/19/2026
We respect the jury’s decision and the Court’s decision in sentencing. However, we are deeply disappointed with the outcome in this matter. This case involved extraordinarily difficult and tragic circumstances, and we continue to believe those circumstances warranted a different result. From the beginning, our position has been that this case cannot be fairly understood without considering the full context of what occurred, including the domestic violence our client experienced and the circumstances she was surviving at the time.
We remain deeply concerned by the prosecution’s treatment of a domestic violence survivor, which reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the dynamics of abuse and the realities faced by survivors. We are particularly concerned about the message this prosecution sends to other survivors—that their own victimization, including the complicated realities of remaining in an abusive relationship, may later be used against them. We know are not alone in that concern. One of the jurors came to the sentencing on July 31st, 2026 and urged the Court for clemency. She specifically highlighted that the jury instructions did not allow for them to consider whether “some clemency was needed for the parent of this child who had also been the victim of crime on a long-term basis.”
We appreciate everyone who has supported our client and her family throughout this process. Our client has endured an unimaginable loss. Nothing that happened in the courtroom changes the fact that she lost her child, nor does it erase the abuse and trauma that preceded that loss. Because there may be additional legal issues to address, we will not be commenting further on the specifics of the case at this time.
If you are in a domestic violence situation, there are resources and organizations that want to help. Please don’t let this case make you feel more isolated or afraid to reach out for help. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) and you can text the word "START" to 88788.
A judge said the alleged domestic violence Deborah Albin experienced did not meet Oregon law’s strict criteria to avoid a mandatory-minimum sentence
