Slain officer's sisters hope Auman makes best of freedom

One wants woman to make apologies, listen to feelings

Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Lisl Auman's return to freedom was met with mixed reaction Tuesday by the twin sisters of the Denver police officer whose killing led to her felony murder conviction.

"I guess, with that plea agreement which the judge accepted, there was a kind of closure for my family and for her, which I'm thankful for," said Sharon Ogura, an older sister of officer Bruce VanderJagt, who was killed at age 47 by Auman's acquaintance, skinhead Matthaus Jaehnig.

"I was glad that she seemed to acknowledge some responsibility for her own actions," said Ogura, who lives in Arcadia, Calif. "I hope that was sincere. I hope she will live in the light of that, and make use of the freedom that she now has."

Ogura's twin sister, Gail Rice, of Palos Heights, Ill., has joined her in keeping very close tabs on the Auman case since their younger brother died in the line of duty Nov. 12, 1997.

"I consistently and vocally opposed the felony murder law, and stated many times that she did not deserve a life sentence," said Rice, 58. "I think it's a horrible law that should be abolished, and I'm very glad she did not have to serve a life sentence.

"At the same time, I saw no remorse whatsoever, no sadness at all during the whole (1998) trial, and my twin sister and I both flew to Denver for the sentencing, and I was a little upset by that, because she said the words that would get her out of prison. She said, 'I take full responsibility,' but she then went on to say 'I never intended any of this. It spiraled totally out of control,' and in fact, she did make several choices that she was responsible for."

Rice said that she hopes Auman's time in the Tooley Hall halfway house has been "helpful" and "restorative" for her.

"I hope it enables her to turn her life around," Rice said.

"And if she does, I would like to see her initiate a process of reaching out to those of us who have been most shattered by Bruce's death, make personal apologies and listen to our feelings. That is what real restorative justice involves."

Auman, now 29, was handcuffed in the back of a patrol car when Jaehnig, a man she'd met the night before, shot and killed VanderJagt after a break-in at Auman's ex-boyfriend's apartment. Jaehnig then shot himself.

A jury convicted Auman of felony burglary and felony murder. Under Colorado law, defendants convicted of felonies that end in a slaying are held as responsible as the person pulling the trigger.

Auman received a sentence of life without parole, but well-known Hollywood actors and prominent attorneys - galvanized by the late writer Hunter S. Thompson - embraced Auman's cause and challenged the felony murder law.

The Colorado Supreme Court upheld the felony murder statute in March 2005, but overturned Auman's conviction on the basis of faulty jury instructions.

Rather than endure a painful retrial, prosecutors and defense attorneys carved out a plea deal instead that would give her nine years' supervision with the first six months to be served in community corrections.

She was released from Tooley Hall on Thursday, according to a corrections source who asked not to be identified.

For the next eight years, Auman will be continuously monitored through home visits, drug and alcohol testing and employment verification.

Corrections officials have not disclosed where she is working or living.

Don Auman, her father, declined to discuss those or other issues Tuesday.

"We didn't want to make any comments about that, to give Lisl some privacy - other than, obviously, they don't release them unless they're working," he said.