New trial date for man in Naperville arson case

DuPage County prosecutors will get a second crack this summer at the man whose conviction for the 1995 arson murder of his mother-in-law in Naperville was vacated last month.

DuPage County Judge Liam Brennan on Wednesday set a Sept. 12 trial date for William Amor on charges that Amor intentionally ignited the September 1995 fire at the condo that he shared with his then-18-year-old wife, Tina Miceli, and her mother, Marianne Miceli. Marianne Miceli was killed in the blaze after becoming trapped in a bedroom.

Brennan vacated the 1997 conviction last month after ruling that advances in fire science have proved the description Amor gave in his original confession to police was impossible, and set a $100,000 bail.

Amor's attorney, Erica Nichols Cook, said Wednesday that attempts to raise the necessary $10,030 to free Amor before trial are ongoing.

Amor confessed that he started the fire by leaving a smoldering cigarette on a newspaper that had been soaked in vodka. His attorneys have maintained the confession was coerced.

Three fire science experts testified during Amor's December hearing that not only would a cigarette not ignite a newspaper and vodka, but that lab-tested samples found no ignitable liquids at the scene.

Within 20 minutes of Amor and his wife leaving the apartment, the napping Miceli woke and called 911, saying she could not get out of the burning apartment and was being overcome by smoke.

A dispatcher told her to get low to the floor, but she started coughing and died in her bedroom from smoke inhalation with the phone cord wrapped around her.

Amor is next due in court on June 9 to discuss any pretrial motions.