Update: Jurors resumed deliberations around 9 a.m. Friday.
FORT WORTH -- With a mother's sobs for mercy ringing in their ears, jurors deliberated punishment for 18-year-old Broderick Patterson for nearly six hours Thursday before breaking for the night.Patterson pleaded guilty to a murder charge in the death of 17-year-old Eric Forrester who was shot in the head when he interrupted a burglary in his home April 12, 2010.Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison."We are all hurting," Patterson's mother, Wynette Perrin, told jurors Thursday, weeping. "I am so hurt for Mrs. Forrester. I go to an empty room every night. She goes to an empty room every night. As one mother to another, I know she is hurt."But she urged jurors to consider rehabilitation for her son, who was just 16 at the time of the shooting but was certified to stand trial as an adult."Y'all can hate me and hate my son, but he had to make that decision to come here and plead guilty," she said. "My son is very humble. He's not a coldblooded killer. He's not a gang member."All I know is that this is tragic. It's so terrible," she said, before breaking down into sobs.Patterson has admitted being in the Forrester home to steal but said a co-defendant, Clifton Elliott, also 18, was holding the gun when it went off accidentally. Elliott also admitted the burglary but said Patterson was holding the gun.On a 911 tape of the shooting, the two burglars could be heard shouting at Forrester, ordering him to find them a bag, and then a gunshot could be heard on the tape. One of the young men then says, "Oh, no. Oh, s---," before they fled.Forrester had taken his sister home for lunch after she had car trouble, and they interrupted the burglary in progress. The sister, Kali Forrester, now 23, escaped and called 911. Eric Forrester also called 911, and then placed his cellphone in his pocket to capture the encounter.Kali Forrester and her parents testified tearfully about Eric Forrester, who was a member of Southwest High School's swim team. He was devoted to family, church and friends and was about to graduate from high school.Prosecutors Robert Huseman and Christy Jack urged jurors in closing arguments to give Patterson a life sentence, even if they believed that he was not the gunman.Defense attorneys Joetta Keene and Tim Moore asked jurors to give Patterson a lesser sentence. His church pastor, a former youth basketball coach and a stern aunt testified earlier that they believed that he could be turned around.Jurors are set to resume deliberations this morning in state District Judge Robb Catalano's court.Dianna Hunt, 817-390-7084Twitter: @DiannaHuntHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
