Liberty County man receives 55-Years for Burglary of a Habitation with Intent to Commit a Sexual Assault
LIBERTY - On Sept. 16, a Liberty County jury found Tyree Jacoby Patterson, 32, guilty of two counts of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a sexual assault and sentenced him to fifty-five years in prison. The honorable Judge Chap Cain, 253rd Judicial District Court, presided over the five-day trial.
Prosecutor Nicole Washington presented evidence that on Aug. 9, 2021, Patterson opened the back door of the home of the 57-year-old complainant at approximately 6:00 am, as she was making her morning coffee. Patterson then closed the door, called the complainant a “rich bitch” and proceeded to remove his pant. The complainant ran out of her house and toward the home of her daughter who lived on the adjoining property. The victim testified that Patterson chased after her as she screamed for her daughter to open the door. The complainant’s daughter, the second complainant in this case, testified that she opened the door and a struggle and physical altercation ensued between Patterson and the two women who were trying to protect themselves and get the defendant out of the home. The second complainant’s 10-year-old son was present tin the home and was a witness to this struggle and what later occurred outside the residence.
Both complainants testified that the defendant threw his money and his cell phone in the home, which law enforcement later collected as evidence. The jury heard testimony that altercations eventually moved outside the home and the complainants testified that Patterson removed his shorts and boxers and tackled the first complainant, pinning her to the ground. She specifically testified that Patterson’s now completely naked body “felt like a 300-pound elephant was weighing down (her) body”. She further testified that Patterson directed her to perform oral sex on him and inching his body closer and closer to force her to do just that. In response, this complainant testified she used both of her hands and twisted Patterson’s penis as she could to get him off of her, but he did not respond. While these events are occurring, the second complainant testified that she retrieved a shovel and repeatedly struck Patterson with the flat side of a full-size shovel without eliciting any response. It was no until she struck him with the edge of the shovel that Patterson responded. The second complainant testified that after she struck Patterson with the edge of the shovel, he stopped and looked and stated, “Oh, you’re pretty” and proceeded to pull down the top of her nightgown. Patterson then tackled her and got on top of her in the same manner as the other complainant and used his body to force her legs open. The second complainant fought with Patterson, but eventually he pinned down her arms and she testified that she believed that there was nothing more that she could do and began reciting the Lord’s Prayer. While he was attacking the second complainant, the first complainant began striking Patterson with an Aluminum baseball bat which also elicited no response.
Feeling hopeless, both women testified that they were both reciting the Lord’s Prayer at this point. For reason’s both women attributed to divine intervention, Patterson got off the second complainant and ran toward the home of the first complainant, while the women run into the home of the second complainant. Jurors heard the frantic 911 call of the 10-year-old boy during which he described to the dispatchers that a man was choking his mother and grandmother and heard testimony from the young boy himself describing the early morning events. Ultimately, the jury heard testimony from responding officers that they arrived to find Patterson naked, sitting in the driver’s seat of the first complainant’s vehicle, and he was detained and then arrested for Burglary of a Habitation with the intent to Commit Sexual Assault for each of the two complainants.
After the State rested, the jury rendered their verdict of guilty. In the punishment phase, the State presented evidence as to the Defendant’s criminal history. After hearing testimony from the victims as well as from Patterson himself, the jury retired to deliberate and quickly returned a verdict of fifty-five years in prison.
Assistant District Attorney, Nicole Washington: “By their verdicts, the jury picked up the bat and shovel used by LaToya and Janet to defend themselves and said in no uncertain terms that the defendant’s behavior will not be tolerated in Liberty County. Their willingness to stand watch between any would-be victim and Tyree Patterson will help this community to move forward, and I cannot thank them enough for their service.”
District Attorney, Jennifer L. Bergman: “This jury said with its sentence- as juries in Liberty County consistently say with their sentences- that violent and repeat offenders will undoubtedly receive lengthy prison sentences.”