Memo: ******* CORRECTION PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 19, 1998 FOLLOWS: ******

A quotation on Page 19A Wednesday concerning the sentencing of Lisl Auman was incorrectly attributed to Ann Vanderjagt. Prosecutor Tim Twining was the person who said, ''She got what she deserved under the law as we have it.''

Edition: Final

Lisl Auman was led away in handcuffs Tuesday to begin serving a life prison term for her role in Denver police officer Bruce VanderJagt's murder.

Auman said she felt ''deep sorrow'' for VanderJagt's family, but maintained she had ''no involvement whatsoever'' in the officer's slaying.

The statement Auman read at her Denver District Court sentencing hearing left VanderJagt's widow cold.

''I'm really tired of hearing about how Lisl Auman is the innocent victim in this tragedy,'' Anna VanderJagt said after the hearing.

''People need to understand the law,'' she said. ''All I would like to hear her say is that 'I made a mistake and I will accept the consequences.' But that just doesn't happen. You just don't hear that.''

VanderJagt was gunned down Nov. 12, 1997, by skinhead Matthaeus Jaehnig at a Denver condominium complex after Jaehnig shot at deputies during a wild police chase from a burglary in Buffalo Creek. Auman, who was with Jaehnig during the chase, had been arrested and was sitting in a police cruiser when Jaehnig killed VanderJagt.

Auman said she was at the mercy of a madman bent on having a shootout with police.

''He was out of control and I was terrified I would lose my life,'' Auman said. ''At the earliest moment I could, I turned myself into police.''

Auman was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, menacing and burglary charges July 17. The murder conviction carried a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

VanderJagt's widow, left to raise the couple's 3-year-old daughter alone, said Auman's sentence is justified.

''She got what she deserved under the law as we have it,'' VanderJagt said. ''Being young is no excuse for not discriminating right from wrong.''

Prosecutors contend the murder was set in motion when Auman planned with friends to burglarize her ex-boyfriend's apartment.

''She was the catalyst to this senseless murder,'' said prosecutor Tim Twining.

Prosecutors contended that although she didn't directly participate in VanderJagt's ambush, she controlled his fate, failing to tell officers Jaehnig was armed and hiding in a dead-end alcove around the corner from where she was arrested.

''Lisl Auman wasn't the victim here,'' said Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter. ''She was a participant in a felony murder. Just by passing on a bit of information she may very well have saved Bruce VanderJagt's life.''

Auman's family maintains she was powerless to control events.

''How does a 21-year-old deal with a maniac?'' asked Don Auman, Lisl's father.

''Matthaeus Jaehnig is the one who is the murderer here, not Lisl. She is a sweet, kind, loving girl who doesn't deserve this.''