Jury Gives Patterson Death Sentence For Killing Stepdaughter

A jury handed down the death sentence Tuesday night to 39-year-old convicted murderer Oscar Patterson of Broken Arrow. Patterson was convicted Friday of killing his 15-year-old stepdaughter, Tiffiany

Wednesday, February 9th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A jury handed down the death sentence Tuesday night to 39-year-old convicted murderer Oscar Patterson of Broken Arrow. Patterson was convicted Friday of killing his 15-year-old stepdaughter, Tiffiany Beverly.

Patterson held a straight face when the jury announced his punishment. He was led away in handcuffs and remained silent when besieged by reporters questions. Pattersonâ€™s wife, Beatrice, who stood by him throughout the trial, quickly left the courtroom and would not speak to the press. Her daughter, Beverly, disappeared in May 1997. Thirteen months later, bones were found in a field four miles from the Pattersonâ€™s home. They were positively identified by the state medical examiner as Beverlyâ€™s.

For the first time in his trial, Patterson took the stand Tuesday. He told the jury that he would never hurt his stepdaughters. However, Tiffiany's sister testified in the trial that Patterson sexually abused her after Beverlyâ€™s death. The sister also said that Beverly told her months before she died, that Patterson had sexually abused her.

Prosecutors say Patterson killed Beverly after he raped her, because he was afraid she would tell about the attack. "There is not a sense of satisfaction or happiness, because it in no way takes back what happened to the younger child or that of Tiffiany," said assistant district attorney Steve Sewell.

"From the first verdict coming in so quickly, we thought they might come back with a death penalty," said defense attorney David Phillips. "So it's not something that was not completely unexpected." Patterson's attorney says they will appeal.