Patterson Tells His Side of the Story
By: Elsa Gillis
Updated: February 7, 2012
Christian Patterson had the opportunity to tell his side of the story today. Once finished, the Prosecution fired back, accusing Patterson of being ready to take down officers before they even got to his house.
Patterson discussed the dispute that brought police to his home that fatal night. Patterson says he was in great despair, and decided he wanted to take his own life, which is why he got a gun. He then recounted for the jury the events that night involving the police.
"They asked, 'why do you think we're here,' I said, 'you just want to put a show on for the neighbors.'"
When officers asked if the gun was loaded, Patterson recounts, "I said there are five shots in the gun and there's five in my pocket."
He describes his mindset at that time, "My life was over, Shannon is leaving me, the police are here, I'm going to lose my job, lose everything."
He said when he reached for his jacket and was putting it on, he was shot with the less than lethal rubber bullets.
"I was flat on the ground," recalls Patterson.
"Did you hear your weapons discharge?," asked Chief Public Defender Frank Nebush.
"No I didn't," Patterson responded.
"Were you aiming at anyone?" said Nebush.
"No I didn't I wasn't aiming at anybody." Patterson says his gun was aimed at the air, and he never meant to hurt anyone.
The prosecution then began their questioning.
"When you first started loading that gun, and you added shell after shell after shell, were you planning on going across the street and finding your wife and son?" asked First Assistant DA Michael Coluzza
"No sir," responded Patterson.
"What were you going to do with all those extra rounds of ammunition?" asked Coluzza.
To which Patterson responded, "I do not know."
Patterson said he knew the police were coming.
"At that point, when you saw that car that you knew to be a police car your reached over you picked up that loaded gun and you were armed?" asked Coluzza.
"I reached over and picked up the gun yes," responded Patterson.
Patterson says he didn't understand why police shot at him. He also said he could barely make out the officers with the light shining in his face, and in the dark. The prosecution made the point that Patterson is an accomplished hunter and fisherman, to prove that his vision wasn't as bad as claims.
