Joseph Patterson has been convicted of murdering the 2-year-old son of Adrian Peterson two years ago.
Patterson was standing trial for the murder of Tyrese Ruffin committed in Oct. 2013 and was found guilty on all counts. The charges included second-degree murder, first degree manslaughter and aggravated battery against a person under the age of three, the Argus Leader reports.
Patterson is awaiting sentencing and could spend the rest of his life in prison. His loved ones apparently took the news in a tough way.
Many of Patterson's loved ones had to be escorted out of the courtroom and courthouse for their outbursts @ksfynews pic.twitter.com/vkcjj0WUx4
— Mark Roper (@MarkRoperKSFY) September 30, 2015
It did not take long for the jury to deliberate in the matter. The Leader says it took just five hours to return the guilty verdicts.
Patterson’s attorney tried to argue Ruffin died from choking on a fruit snack, while the prosecutors said it was due to blunt force trauma.
Patterson was said to be dating the mother of the child at the time of the incident nearly two years ago. Peterson had only recently found out about the boy prior to the murder, and he had never met the young child.
