Highlands Ranch Herald 0227

Page 1

FEBRUARY 27, 2020

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Guilty plea brings end to 40-year-old murder case James Clanton will get life in prison with a chance of parole after 20 years BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

More than 40 years after 21-year-old Helene Pruszynski was brutally killed and left for dead in an area that is now Highlands Ranch, a man pleaded guilty to the crime. James Clanton, 62, was slated to have a preliminary hearing but instead chose to waive his rights and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in a Douglas County courtroom on Feb. 21. Because of Clanton’s plea, District Attorney George Brauchler announced the state would not seek the death penalty in the case. Instead, Clanton will receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison with the chance of parole after 20 years, Brauchler said. He will be formally sentenced April 10. “At his age, if you asked me to guess, I’d say I don’t expect him to make parole,” Brauchler said after the hearing. Pruszynski’s only living relative, her sister Janet Johnson, will make a statement at Clanton’s sentencing hearing, Brauchler said, adding how emotional she was when she found out he would be pleading guilty. SEE MURDER, P16

James Clanton, 62, right, sitting with public defender Emily Valdez, pleaded guilty to murdering Helene Pruszynski during a Feb. 21 hearing. He will get a mandatory sentence of life in prison with a chance of parole after 20 years. POOL PHOTO/9NEWS

MOVING FORWARD

THE GRAND FINALE

Toll lanes are expected to be open on C-470 this summer, CDOT officials say P3 Your newspaper is made possible by advertisers like this one, who support our efforts to keep you connected to your community!

The Denver Pops Orchestra concluded the HRCA’s Winter Cultural Series P6

THE BOTTOM LINE

“I think you have very clearly shown that there needs to be a change to accommodate the PSAT in the future.” Krista Holtzmann, school board member | Page 4 INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12 | CALENDAR: PAGE 18 | SPORTS: PAGE 20

HighlandsRanchHerald.net

VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 14


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