New Trial Set For Accused Gun Buyer Stevie Vigil

DENVER (AP) - The trial of a woman accused of buying the gun used to kill Colorado corrections chief Tom Clements was delayed until December on Monday but there's a chance she could plead guilty before then.

There have been some negotiations between the lawyer for Stevie Marie Vigil, 22, and federal prosecutors and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hosley told U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello that there could be a resolution in the case before the new Dec. 16 trial date. He also said a hearing allowing Vigil to change her plea may be needed.

Hosley wouldn't elaborate after the hearing. Vigil's lawyer, Daniel Smith, said negotiations have been off-and-on but wouldn't comment on how the case could be resolved.

Vigil is charged with knowingly giving a firearm to a felon, former Colorado inmate Evan Ebel, the only suspect named in the death of Tom Clements.

Clements, 58, was killed when he answered the door at his home in Monument on March 19.

Ebel was killed in a shootout with law enforcement officers in Texas days later.

Ebel was released on parole in January, four years early because of a clerical error. Authorities also believe he was involved in the shooting death of Nathan Leon, a computer technician and pizza deliveryman, two days before Clements was killed.

With Ebel dead, Vigil is the only person facing charges related to either slayings.

Her trial was originally scheduled to begin Monday, but Arguello had previously agreed to delay it after Smith asked for more time to review the large volume of evidence in the case, which apparently includes evidence involving the two slayings.

In a motion last month, Smith noted that the evidence involved the actions of many other people at four different crime scenes in two states, including telephone calls allegedly made from inside the Colorado Department of Corrections.

By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press

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