WKyU murder trial underway

[hoosier]

(Does anybody know if the guys are PiKA members?)

OWENSBORO, Ky. -- A woman testifying Friday in Lucas Goodrum's murder trial said she called Katie Autry on the night the 18-year-old Western Kentucky University student was fatally attacked in her dormitory room in Bowling Green.


Danica Jackson, Autry's roommate for six months, said a scared Autry told her that someone had entered the room. Jackson said that when she asked Autry who was there, a male got on the phone. "He said, `I'm the boy who brought her home. She got sick in my truck and I just wanted to make sure she was OK,'" she testified.

Jackson said that while she was talking on the phone, she heard the door close again and heard another male voice.

"I couldn't tell what he was saying to Katie but I heard her say, `Leave me alone, I just want to go to sleep,'" she said. "I was going to ask them some more questions but the phone was hung up on me."

Jackson said she tried to call another friend to discuss the situation but got no answer. Jackson didn't pursue the matter any further.

"I thought she was just being drunk," Jackson said, referring to Autry's condition after attending a fraternity party.

Goodrum is accused of murder, rape, sodomy and arson in the death of Autry, who was found beaten, raped and burned in her dorm room May 4, 2003. She died three days later from third- and fourth-degree burns.

His defense attorneys contend no physical evidence links him to the dorm room. They say the man who already pleaded guilty to the crime is trying to frame Goodrum.

Prosecutors plan to rest their case Monday, and the defense's presentation is to begin the next day and is expected to last a week.

Part of the testimony by two other prosecution witnesses Friday differed from statements by Stephen Soules, who pleaded guilty in 2004 to taking part in Autry's slaying. Soules agreed to testify against Goodrum, and in exchange will not face the death penalty.

Ryan Payne, a designated driver for the Pi Kappa Alpha house _ where Autry, Goodrum and Soules had been prior to Autry's attack _ said that Soules did not flirt with or kiss Autry during the ride to her dorm as Soules testified.

Payne said that Soules asked Payne to let him off at a different dormitory from where Autry lived.

Allison Todd, the night clerk at Autry's dorm, Hugh Poland Hall, said she was working from 11 p.m. May 3, 2003, to 3:30 a.m. May 4. She said she saw Autry enter by herself and use the stairs, not the elevator as Soules testified.

Todd said she was joined by another clerk at 2 a.m. and she didn't see Soules or Goodrum enter the building.

Residents have to use keys to enter the building after hours and if a side door were propped open, it would set off an indicator.

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Information from: Daily News, http://www.bgdailynews.com

[hoosier]

Mar. 22, 2005

Dorm slaying case ends in acquittal

Kentucky victim had been raped, set afire
By Kimberly Hefling
Associated Press


OWENSBORO, Ky. – A man was acquitted of murder, rape and arson Monday in the slaying of a Western Kentucky University freshman who was attacked and set on fire in her dorm room.

Lucas Goodrum, 23, could have gotten the death penalty if found guilty of killing 18-year-old Katie Autry, who died of her burns at a hospital three days after being pulled from her smoldering room in 2003.

The jury took about 2 1/2 hours to reach a verdict. Goodrum wiped away tears and hugged one of his lawyers. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty.

“I’m just happy justice has prevailed today,” Goodrum said at a news conference, surrounded by members of his family.

The prosecution relied heavily on the testimony of Goodrum’s former co-defendant, Stephen Soules. The two were at the same fraternity party as Autry the night of the attack, and prosecutors said they followed her back to her room.

Soules pleaded guilty a year ago to raping and killing Autry, and implicated Goodrum. Soules escaped the death penalty and received life in prison for his testimony.

The defense argued that Soules was a liar and that there was no evidence that Goodrum was in the dorm room that night. Goodrum’s father and stepmother testified he was at their home about 25 miles from the university in Bowling Green, by the time the fire alarms went off.

“There wasn’t any proof,” defense attorney David Broderick said as he left the courthouse.

Prosecutor Chris Cohron said that sprinklers had gone off in the dorm room and that water and fire damage made it difficult to collect evidence. And he accused Goodrum’s parents of lying to protect him.

Autry’s family quickly left the courthouse in tears. Autry’s aunt, Virginia White, expressed shock that the jury returned so soon. “I still feel like he was guilty,” she said.

“I think it’s an unfortunate outcome,” the prosecutor said. “We can only present the facts we had.”

Goodrum, who has spent the last two years in jail, said he doesn’t have feelings “either way” toward Soules. “I’m happy to be out and be a free man, and be here with my family,” Goodrum said.