Lisl Auman was denied bail Tuesday pending her retrial on felony murder and burglary charges pertaining to the 1997 killing of Denver police officer Bruce VanderJagt.

“When you look at the evidence of burglary at the preliminary hearing, it was scant at best,” [defense attorney Kathleen] Lord told the judge as she argued for bail for Auman. “There’s nothing more critical to Ms. Auman at this point in facing the allegations by the state than her ability to face them while not incarcerated.” Prosecutor Timothy Twining argued that since one judge had already denied Auman’s request for bail, she shouldn’t get another chance. ….Judge Christine Habas said she would stick with a ruling by the judge in Lisl Auman’s 1998 trial that prosecutors had enough evidence to require that Auman be held without bail until her new trial, scheduled for Aug. 22.

Neither party would say if plea discussions are underway. Lisl Auman has served eight years in jail. She wasn’t the shooter. She didn’t know Matthew Jaehnig was going to kill the officer.

Bruce VanderJagt…was shot by Auman’s alleged accomplice after she had been handcuffed and placed into a patrol car. Auman and gunman Mattheus Jaehnig, who killed himself after shooting VanderJagt, were fleeing police after breaking into Auman’s former boyfriend’s house in Jefferson County to get some of her belongings.

Why can’t the state agree to a reasonable plea bargain in the case? Lisl Auman was 20 years old at the time of the crime. She has no prior criminal record. Matthaeus Jaehnig was a skinhead rascist with a long record. She had been handcuffed for 10 minutes in the back of the police car when Jaehnig unexpectedly shot the officer. Lisl Auman should not spend the rest of her life in prison. I think time served would be appropriate.