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PUEBLO MAN SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS FOR ABUSE AGAINST NOW-DECEASED DOMESTIC PARTNER

Heather Willard
The Pueblo Chieftain


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A Pueblo man was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday for charges related to
the death of his girlfriend, Nicole Stephenson.

The matter drew community attention in early April when a few dozen people
protested on the corner of Elizabeth and Fourth streets in an attempt to garner
public attention about a plea deal offered to Nathan Turner, 38.

Turner had restraining orders filed against him by Stephenson at the time of her
death, and protestors — mostly Stephenson's friends — were angry to hear of the
plea deal offered by the 10th Judicial Court District Attorney's office. Turner
also was the suspect in several incidents Stephenson reported of attempted
kidnappings and assaults.



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On Monday, Turner was sentenced to 18 years in prison, with a credited time
served prior to his sentence of 486 days for charges of felony manslaughter and
second-degree kidnapping.

District Attorney Jeff Chostner explained that the plea deal was due to the
prosecution's expert medical witness' testimony that Turner did not ultimately
deal the blow to kill Stephenson, but his actions contributed to her demise.



"Trying to maintain a case not supported by evidence is not only unethical but
may have risked an acquittal," Chostner said via email. "Therefore, the charge
was changed to conform to the evidence in the case, namely, manslaughter. As we
prosecute our cases under the rule of law, we cannot manufacture or fabricate
evidence to comply with how some want the case to be. We handle cases with the
facts that we have, and the law which must be applied. 

"That is fair and the way we must proceed in a democratic society."



He noted that the sentence handed down by Judge Thomas Flesher was the maximum
allowed by law, and that the sentences will run consecutively. He also noted
that while the case was still being presided over in the district court, he
could not speak about his prosecutorial decisions.

"Now that sentence has been imposed, I am able to speak more freely with the
public.”



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Gabbi Skubal was a close friend of Stephenson and started "Nicole's Army" to
help other friends and families of domestic violence victims get the support and
justice they deserve.

Story continues below





At the time, she noted her concern of the lesser sentencing due to the plea
deal, noting her concern that Turner could have been facing only 3-6 years for
manslaughter. 

Marilyn Moran, a friend of Stephenson, was also at the April protest to support
a stiffer sentencing for Turner.

"Nicole was our friend," she said through tears, expressing a want for a longer
sentence than what the group had thought at the time. "This man hurt Nicole over
and over again. Her children love her and miss her."

In late January 2020, Turner was charged with felony murder, attempted murder,
assault with disfigurement, assault with extreme indifference, murder with
extreme indifference and manslaughter.



On March 17, 2021, Turner accepted a plea agreement, although details of that
agreement were not made public prior to his sentencing.

According to court records, Turner pleaded guilty to manslaughter, and in
return, the court dismissed the charges of assault and murder, both of which
were filed with note of the suspect's extreme indifference.

Turner was also facing charges from November 2019 of two counts of felony
burglary with assault and menacing, retaliation against a witness, kidnapping,
false imprisonment, misdemeanor assault, and two misdemeanor charge violations.

Due to his plea agreement, he was sentenced only on the kidnapping charge.

Turner still faces a deferred sentence for a case dating to October 2018. He was
originally sentenced in the case in September 2019, and was given 18 months for
charges of misdemeanor obstructing telephone service.

Chieftain reporter Heather Willard can be reached via email at
hwillard@gannett.com or on Twitter: @HeatherDWrites.


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