WKU Found to be Responsible in Rape and Murder of Student

Bowling Green, KY - More than six years after the rape and murder of Melissa Kaye "Katie" Autry, the Kentucky Board of Claims has affirmed a hearing officer's finding that WKU employees negligently allowed her assailant access to her dorm room. The Board of Claims awarded her estate the maximum amount allowed in the Board of Claims, $200,000.

On May 4, 2003, Stephen Soules assaulted, raped, and murdered Katie Autry in her Poland Hall dorm room. The Board of Claims found that WKU breached its duties to her by failing to follow established security procedures. WKU failed to lock the Poland Hall front door, failed to monitor the lobby, and failed to require the assailant to sign the desk registry. Because of these breaches, Soules was able to access Katie Autry's room, assault her, rape her, and set her on fire. She died four days letter from the severe burn and inhalation injuries.

The Board of Claims is an agency of the state that decides certain cases involving the state or its agencies, such as WKU.

Ben Crocker, the attorney for the Estate of Katie Autry, was pleased with the result.
"The Board of Claims has now forced WKU to accept its role in Katie's death. Hopefully, Western will accept this decision as an opportunity to make the dorms safer."

For more information, you can contact Ben Crocker at (270)846-3100.

Whitney:     It's been said that people represented by lawyers get three times as much money as people who aren't represented at all. Cindy, what it is that lawyers know that the rest of us don't?

Cyndi:        Well, Whitney, that quote you just gave about three times the money, that actually comes from an Allstate Insurance Company training manual. Their point is, they're trying to teach adjusters: get in there early; act friendly; keep them from getting lawyers because we know we'll pay them more money if they're represented. 

Why? Well, you know, there are several reasons. One is that insurance adjusters are professional negotiators. Lawyers are professional negotiators. So it's a more of an even match up. Not only is the average person in an accident not used to doing this, they're at the worst time in their life. You know, they've just been in an accident, they're very vulnerable, they want to get this over with. 

The second thing I would say is, knowledge is power, and the lawyers working the case know what you're supposed to get. They know the kind of damages we should be looking to get you compensated for. 

And finally, they expect you to prove it, so if I'm going to say, this person's going to have a life time of medical care or this person had a lot of medical bills already, I've got to put that proof together, and at Crocker Law, we have a whole staff of people, this is what they do. They get your bills, they get your records, they order these narrative reports I need from doctors to make that case and get you that money that's fair.

Whitney:     But what if I think that I am getting a fair offer?

Cyndi:         Well, that would be my final word of caution. I think one reason people take too little money is because they make the offers a little bit confusing. You know, I had a guy in my office the other day and he'd been offered $10,000. And he said, you know, I'm satisfied with this, but what do think? And when I looked at it, I pointed out to him that you have $4,000 in medicals that haven't been paid and won't be paid. He didn't know that. So, understanding the offer is important too.

Whitney:    All right, very good. Thank you so much and please join us again next time for Legally Speaking.