Martin pleads guilty to DUI

Ole Miss sophomore Katie Martin pled guilty yesterday to driving under the influence when she struck and injured former Ole Miss student Dexter Moore.

The accident occurred on Feb. 28, 1998, outside of J.W. Forrester's Restaurant and Bar in Oxford. Martin, who was a freshman at the time, was arrested immediately after hitting Moore and was charged with a misdemeanor DUI. Five days later, following an investigation by the Oxford Police Department, Martin was re-charged with a felony DUI and released on $10,000 bond.

Martin pled guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor DUI in Oxford Criminal Court Tuesday. She waived indictment on the misdemeanor DUI and was sentenced to six months suspended jail time, a $250 fine and payment of all related court costs.

Martin's charge had been reduced from the original indictment of a felony DUI to a misdemeanor DUI because of her record of no prior offenses and a voluntary guilty plea. If convicted of a felony DUI charge, Martin could have faced up to 25 years in prison.

Swayze Alford, Martin's attorney, refused to comment on the case, citing company policy. Katie Martin also refused to comment.

Moore was airlifted shortly after the accident to the Critical Care Unit of Memphis Medical Center, where he remained in a coma for two and a half weeks. He was then moved to the Intensive Care Unit and eventually to the Walter Reed Military Hospital in Washington, D.C.

While there, he began physical therapy to correct serious motor skill damage which affected his speech, ability to walk and memory. The United States Army paid for the majority of Moore's bills incurred as a result of the accident.

Responding to the misdemeanor DUI sentence Wednesday night, Moore said, "I'm not ready to even comment on that. I'll need to speak to my attorney."

Dexter Moore is represented by attorney Dan Mars, of the Philadelphia law firm Mars, Mars and Mars, who could not be reached for comment. Mars has been to Oxford several times in the last six months collecting information to aid Moore's possible civil suit against Martin.

Moore has three years under Mississippi law in which to decide whether or not to file a civil lawsuit, which is entirely separate from any court decision resulting from a criminal case.

Moore, 25, graduated in 1998 from the Ole Miss School of Business and was a second lieutenant in the U.S. army when he was injured. He no longer resides in Oxford. Katie Martin is currently in her second year at Ole Miss.

The Moore family would neither deny nor confirm whether a civil suit was pending. Said Moore's mother Grace Hughes last year regarding Martin, "To me, justice needs to be served. I don't hate her (Martin). In a way, I feel sorry for her."