CASTLE ROCK — For the second time, inmate Edward Montour has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the beating death of corrections officer Eric Autobee.

The first time, in 2003, he was sentenced to death. On Thursday, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after prosecutors — who had spent more than a decade seeking the death penalty against Montour — offered him a plea agreement.

Montour beat Autobee, 23, to death with an industrial-sized ladle in the kitchen of the Limon Correctional Facility in 2002. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and a Douglas County jury heard opening arguments from attorneys on Wednesday.

But the case came to an abrupt and emotional end Thursday after 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler took the death penalty off the table. Prosecutors in the case were “hamstrung” and would not have been allowed to present experts to counter defense attorneys claims that Montour was wrongfully convicted of killing his infant daughter in 1998, Brauchler said after the hearing.

As a result, Brauchler felt it was unlikely the jury would sentence Montour to death, and he worried they may have possibly found him to be insane. Despite the plea agreement, Brauchler said death is still the appropriate sentence for Montour.

“I had to get as much justice out of this situation as I could,” Brauchler said.

Before the judge sentenced Montour to prison, defense attorneys and Eric’s parents waited in the courtroom. The Autobees, who had opposed prosecutors’ efforts to seek the death penalty, exhaled heavy sighs of relief and sorrow as they waited.

Lola Autobee quietly walked up behind Chief Deputy District Attorney John Topolnicki — who has been on the case since Autobee’s death — and tapped him on the shoulder. She could barely utter “John” before she threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest.

Topolnicki quietly comforted her and gently kissed her forehead before she walked back to her seat.

“I’m here as a mom. My son was a good person,” Autobee told the court. “I believe Edward, in some ways, is also a good person. I feel for you today.”

Montour was serving a life sentence for killing his 11-week-old daughter, Taylor, when he killed Eric Autobee.

Montour initially pleaded guilty to killing Autobee in 2003 and was sentenced to death by a judge. That sentence was overturned in 2007 by the Colorado Supreme Court, which said only a jury could impose the death sentence. The case tumbled through various courts for years, and Montour entered a new plea in August.

Montour’s attorneys argue he was wrongfully convicted of Taylor’s death and his mental illness “flourished” behind bars.

Autobee’s father, Bob, forgave Montour and has since pleaded to keep his son’s killer alive.

The two men met for the first time in December, and in January, Autobee stood outside the courthouse in Castle Rock, in front of 600 potential jurors, and protested Brauchler’s decision to seek the death penalty.

On Thursday, Autobee shook Brauchler’s hand and thanked prosecutors and defense attorneys.

“I’ll come back and visit you,” Autobee told Montour. “Had you received the death penalty, I would have been sentenced to a life of cruel and unusual punishment.”

Montour’s attorney, David Lane, said he approached Montour with the agreement late Wednesday night. With little hesitation, Montour accepted the agreement and told Lane he owed “this plea to the Autobees.”

“That shows the power of the Autobees’ grace in forgiving Montour,” Lane said on Thursday.

Montour answered the judge’s questions with soft responses. His attorneys both smiled and cried as the judge explained the plea agreement to Montour.

“I will live with a profound sense of sadness,” Montour said. “Thank you to Bob Autobee for his forgiveness.”

But Topolnicki, who thanked the Autobee family as well, said Montour’s sentence was only “partial justice.”

Douglas County District Court Judge Richard Caschette accepted Montour’s plea, but not before reminding him of the severity of his crime.

“This act constitutes nothing less than cold- blooded murder,” Caschette said. “I hope for his sake his remorse is sincere.”

Brauchler had asked Caschette to delay the trial during a hearing on Feb. 27. He said defense attorneys intentionally waited until 27 days before opening arguments to present evidence that Montour was wrongfully convicted in Taylor’s death and he needed more time to evaluate the evidence.

The district attorney said the extra time would allow him to work with experts and consider whether he would continue to seek the death penalty or reconsider the case.

Caschette denied the request.

During opening arguments Wednesday, attorneys did not disagree about whether Montour was guilty of killing Autobee, but instead discussed why he beat the officer to death.

Defense attorneys said the conviction in his daughter’s death sent Montour to prison where his mental illness was undertreated and he “unraveled” for years until fear of an attack by other inmates became so fierce that he snapped. But prosecutors argued Montour, who understood the dangers of being tagged a “snitch,” decided to kill a guard the night before Autobee’s death.

Topolnicki said doctors who completed Montour’s court-ordered mental health evaluation found him to be sane the day he killed Autobee. After killing Autobee, Montour calmly walked out of the kitchen.

“I just put Autobee down in the kitchen. Do you want to handcuff me now or later?” Montour allegedly told a guard after the killing.

Montour poured himself a glass of Mr. Pibb while he waited for the guard to find Autobee.

The jury flinched at the thud the ladle made when it hit the floor.

Montour also pleaded guilty to one count of felony contraband and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The jury was sent home before the sentencing Thursday. They will be officially released on Friday.

Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794, jsteffen@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jsteffendp