Juror who voted guilty joins cause for Auman

Jeff Kass, News Staff Writer

Sunday, March 18, 2001

Linda Chin is one of the 12 jurors who unanimously convicted Lisl Auman of murder.

She's also one of the financial contributors to the Lisl Auman Information Project.

Chin, who regrets casting her guilty vote, contributed $2,000 to Auman's cause shortly after the trial.

The money was a way for Chin to help with Auman's post-trial life, whether it was an appeal, or broadcasting her story.

Chin said she voted guilty because she was unaware of the sentence.

And, she adds, she went along with the 11 other jurors "rather than face the whole city of Denver and the reporters in the hall for being the only one to vote not guilty. Basically, I was a chicken."

Chin may give more money, possibly to help pay for the college correspondence course Auman is doing from prison. She doesn't want to say how much more she may pony up.

"I don't want to put my husband in shock," says the 57-year-old grandmother and product service coordinator for a software company.

Chin exchanges e-mails with Auman's parents, and they have had dinner together. She and Auman have written about a half-dozen letters back and forth.

They have talked about a visit.

"I apologized to her in my first letter," Chin said. "She has been very understanding. She didn't want me to feel guilty."

Chin has given cards proclaiming Auman's innocence to her grandchildren to pass out at elementary school. An Auman bumper sticker decorates her office cubicle. She put Auman's father in touch with a designer for a Web site dedicated to Auman's case.

Auman calls Chin "courageous."

"Of course, she helped put me away here," Auman says. "I know she feels horrible about it."