For the first time in seven years, Lisl Auman sat Tuesday in a familiar Denver courtroom, facing the same prosecutors who sent her away for life for her role in the shooting death of Denver police officer Bruce VanderJagt.

But this visit represented a second chance for Auman, who listened quietly as a judge set a new trial date of Aug. 22.

Lawyers on both sides of the highly scrutinized case appeared before Denver District Court Judge Christina Habas for a brief hearing to set the schedule for upcoming proceedings.

Auman was granted a new trial as a result of a Colorado Supreme Court decision in March overturning her conviction on a felony murder charge.

Now 29, Auman was led into Courtroom 16 minutes before the hearing wearing tan jail scrubs and wire-rimmed, oval glasses. Her brown hair was in pigtails.

The phalanx of television cameras hinted at the national attention her case has attracted, although the 8:15 a.m. hearing was mostly procedural.

Public defender Susan Fisch told the court she plans to seek Auman's release on bond pending the trial. Habas set a hearing for that matter on June 21.

Auman has been serving her time at the Colorado Women's Correctional Facility in Cañon City but is now at the Denver County Jail.

Prosecutors Henry Cooper and Tim Twining opposed releasing Auman on bond.

Auman again faces charges of second-degree burglary and felony murder. Bond is typically denied in felony, or first-degree, murder cases.

Auman was handcuffed and in the back seat of a police car when a man she had met the night before, Matthaus Jaehnig, shot and killed VanderJagt.

Jaehnig then killed himself with the officer's gun.

A jury found Auman guilty of felony murder because she was involved in an underlying felony, a burglary. Colorado law requires a minimum sentence of life without parole for felony murder.

Several Auman supporters attended Tuesday's hearing, including her mother, father, stepfather and Anita Thompson, the widow of writer Hunter S. Thompson, who had taken up Auman's cause.

Her stepfather, Rob Auerbach, said he thought Auman looked "fit" and told reporters he is "hopeful" about upcoming proceedings.

But he added, "(Auman's mother) was of course upset to see Lisl at the other side of the table again. It brought up memories of the trial."

A plea bargain was not discussed in court Tuesday.

The slain officer's widow, Anna VanderJagt, has said she wants the case to go to trial again.

"It will be a major disruption to my new life . . . my new job, my family, but I am totally ready to take the sacrifice and attend and be there in support of Bruce," she told CBS 4 News' Rick Sallinger on Monday.

She did not attend Tuesday's hearing.

Denver district attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said Tuesday that no plea discussions have occurred.

But several legal analysts have said they expect negotiations to take place.

Denver defense attorney Dan

Recht said the case "begs for" a plea bargain. Defense attorney Larry Pozner agreed, adding that prosecutors must overcome greater awareness among jurors of the penalty for felony murder, which could make a guilty verdict more difficult.

A new trial is expected to last 10 days.

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