Indiana News

Judge Rebuffs Dropping Arson Charges in Fatal Fire

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) _ A southwestern Indiana judge has rejected a bid to dismiss most of the arson charges faced by an Evansville man accused of starting a March fire that killed three people.
 
Public defender Jon Schaefer sought to have all but one of the 14 arson charges dismissed against 32-year-old Christopher Compton, arguing that there should be a single arson charge because it was single incident.
 
But the Evansville Courier & Press reports a Vanderburgh County judge denied that motion.
 
Prosecutors say they'll seek life without parole for Compton, who also faces three murder charges.
 
Compton's trial is set for Oct. 13 in the deaths of 3-year-old Jazmine Jones; her 28-year-old mother, Keri Jones; and 76-year-old Donald Lankford. 
 
All died of smoke inhalation in the same second-story Evansville apartment.

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