Summary of Offense:
Sentence of death in October 1997 for the murder of James Patterson, additionally sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of Tressa Patterson. Both murders took place on January 8, 1997.
On January 8, 1997, the appellant watched over James while Tressa was at work. He stated that he and Tressa got into another argument when she came home from work, and that he put a rifle to his head to show his “love” for her. He claimed that he pulled the trigger, but it did not fire. He then laid the rifle on his lap and accidentally fired it at Tressa. The appellant stated that Tressa gasped when she was struck by the first bullet. The noise caused him to panic and he accidentally fired the rifle a second time. The appellant told Paulk that after he determined that Tressa was dead, he said to James, “Man, yo momma's dead.” He then poured rubbing alcohol over Tressa's body and beside the fireplace in the living room. He laid James down near his mother's body and set the alcohol on fire. He then fled to a nearby wooded area and hid the rifle.
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/al-court-...s/1268139.html
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