Patrick Compton,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Patrick+Compton@@ 21, appeared at Lane County Circuit Court today with his family and lawyer, Scott Upham,@@http://www.registerguard.com/web/newslocalnews/27282577-41/compton-macfie-student-lane-county.html.csp@@ to finalize a court date for later this year. Compton is pleading not guilty to second-degree manslaughter charges after a drunk driving incident on Nov. 18 that killed fellow University student Craig Macfie.@@see previous link@@
Upham requested a settlement conference, telling the judge that he did not expect to settle but instead wanted to set a trial date for June 12. He cited the discovery process as the reason for the delay, specifically making sure he has enough time to look into all the evidence himself.
In the settlement conference, he spoke to the judge in chambers before having Compton sign the documents setting the official trial date.
Macfie, who was riding a bicycle, was struck and killed around 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2011, near East 11th Avenue and High Street. Both Compton and Macfie were intoxicated well over the legal limit — which is .08 for driving a vehicle —@@http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/driverid/suspreasons.shtml#duii@@ while Macfie was lacking reflectors and lights that are required for nighttime biking.@@file:///Users/news11/Downloads/bike_manual.pdf@@ The collision location was at the point where the bike and traffic lanes shifted to the left.
Both were University seniors. Macfie was set to graduate at the end of fall term, with Compton at the end of the academic year. Compton is facing a minimum of six years and three months in jail, according to Measure 11 mandatory minimum requirements.