Jury Hears Testimony in Next Phase of Patterson Trial

Last week, Oscar Patterson was convicted of murdering his 15-year-old stepdaughter Tiffany Beverly. Monday, jurors began hearing testimony in the sentencing phase of the trial.<br><br>Prosecutors are

Monday, February 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Last week, Oscar Patterson was convicted of murdering his 15-year-old stepdaughter Tiffany Beverly. Monday, jurors began hearing testimony in the sentencing phase of the trial.

Prosecutors are asking for the death penalty for Patterson. They are asking for the ultimate penalty for what they call "aggravated circumstances."
They say they proved the first circumstance in the murder trial, that Patterson killed Beverly to avoid being arrested for molesting her.

Most of Mondayâ€™s testimony centered on the second aggravated circumstance.
Prosecutorâ€™s say Patterson is a continued threat to society. To support that claim, they called Patterson's stepdaughter to the stand. She testified he continually molested her, beginning two weeks after her older sister disappeared.

Defense witnesses included Beverly's mother who has maintained throughout the trial that her husband is an honest man. She says she feels she has lost everything in her life: her daughter who was murdered, her husband, and the daughter who testified against her husband.

The defense presented a psychologist who testified that Patterson does not have the characteristics of a pedophile. The defense is expected to call a number of witnesses in the trial. Patterson and his family continue to maintain his innocence.