OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) -- A judge rejected a motion Tuesday morning to dismiss murder and other charges against Lucas Goodrum as his attorneys opened their case.
Special Judge Thomas Castlen rejected the motion for acquittal from Goodrum's attorney, David Broderick, who entered the motion after prosecutors finished presenting evidence against Goodrum on Monday. Broderick argued in the motion that prosecutors had presented little evidence tying Goodrum to Melissa ''Katie'' Autry's death.
Goodrum, who could face the death penalty if convicted, is charged with murder, rape, sodomy and arson in the death of Autry. The Western Kentucky University freshman who was found beaten, raped and burned in her dorm room May 4, 2003. She died three days later.
The case against Goodrum, 23, rests largely on the testimony of Stephen Soules, who has already confessed to a role in the murder. Soules, 22, will be sentenced to life in prison without parole in exchange for testifying against Goodrum.
Investigators never found any physical evidence tying Goodrum to the crime. Besides Soules' testimony, prosecutors did not offer any proof that rape or sodomy had occurred, Broderick has argued.
Soules was the only person who offered proof of arson as well, Broderick said.
Warren County Commonwealth's Attorney Chris Cohron argued that prosecutors had met the standard required by law. He pointed to witnesses who agreed with Soules' version of events up until the time Soules left the Pi Kappa Alpha party that Soules, Goodrum and Autry attended.
WKU Sgt. Mike Dowell testified Monday that police didn't talk to another individual who had been identified as a person of interest based on information from the manager of the strip club where Autry worked.
In 14 years as a police officer, including more than six years as an investigator, Dowell said he had never handled a murder or arson causing serious injury.
He also said he did not check out Goodrum's alibi until months after his arrest.
Dowell acknowledged that investigators failed to obtain some evidence, including the smoke detector from Autry's room and bubble gum that was stuck on an afghan that covered the room's overhead sprinkler.
After Autry's death, WKU Police Chief Robert Deane said that because he had a trained campus police force, his department would be the lead investigating agency, with assistance from Kentucky State Police and other law enforcement agencies.
Dowell said Deane decided to arrest Goodrum after Goodrum had been questioned by two state police investigators.
Broderick asked Dowell why he or others didn't check Goodrum's statement that he was at the Scottsville home of his father and stepmother at the time Autry was attacked.
''I would have thought that she would have contacted us,'' Dowell said of Goodrum's stepmother, Judy Goodrum.
Broderick also asked Dowell why police didn't question others after Soules named Goodrum. Dowell said the focus of the investigation became finding physical evidence against Goodrum, and that if other credible information was available he would follow it up.
Information from:
Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
The Courier-Journal, http://www.courier-journal.com
