By Dan Modlin
Bowling Green, KY – Warren Circuit Judge Tom Lewis heard arguments
today on a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by
the mother and aunt of Katie Autry. She's the
student who died last May after being assaulted
and burned in her residence hall room.
At issue is the question of whether governmental
immunity applies to Western Kentucky University,
the Student Life Foundation, and to employees
working in the residence hall. Ben Crocker, an
attorney for the plaintiffs, argued that dormitories
should be viewed as private entities, and therefore
would not come under governmental immunity.
Attorneys representing the University and the Student
Life Foundation argued that there are no private
dormitories at Western. Greg Stivers and Buzz
English asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit
against Western and the Foundation.
Warren Circuit Judge Tom Lewis says he will
issue a ruling in the matter, but he has not
indicated when that ruling will be issued.