A date has been set for the Kentucky Supreme Court to hear appeals and decide if Western and the Student Life Foundation can be included in a wrongful death suit for the murder of Pellville freshman Melissa “Katie” Autry.

The Supreme Court will hear the appeals at 11 a.m. Jan. 18 in Frankfort. Attorneys for Autry’s estate, Western and the Student Life Foundation will argue their cases.

Ben Crocker, the Autry estate’s attorney, said Autry’s death could have been prevented if Western and the Student Life Foundation had enhanced safety.

“We think we’ll be allowed to go forward,” Crocker said.

The Warren County Circuit Court dropped Western and the Student Life Foundation from the wrongful death suit in November 2003 because of governmental immunity.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals upheld the decision to drop Western, but added the Student Life Foundation back into the suit in March 2005.Western’s attorney Greg Stivers said he will argue before the Supreme Court in January that Western has successfully claimed sovereign immunity.

Charles English, the Student Life Foundation’s attorney, said he will argue that the group should be dropped from the suit again because the Circuit Court was correct by stating the Student Life Foundation had governmental immunity.

General Counsel Deborah Wilkins said she feels confident that Western and the Student Life Foundation will get a favorable appeal.

Autry was raped, sodomized and set on fire in her Poland Hall dorm room on May 4, 2003, after returning from a party at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house. She died from third degree burns on May 7 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Stephen Soules of Scottsville pleaded guilty to Autry’s murder on March 23, 2004. Under a plea agreement, Soules will receive life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole.

Lucas Goodrum of Scottsville was found not guilty of Autry’s murder on March 21, 2005.

Reach Alex Fontana at news@wkuherald.com.