A South Dakota jury convicted a man of second-degree murder on Tuesday for the death of Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson's 2-year-old son, according to the Associated Press.
The 2-year-old boy died two days after he was allegedly beaten by his mother's boyfriend in October of 2013. The boy had been hospitalized in critical condition for head injuries, according to Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News.
Joseph Patterson was found guilty by the Lincoln County jury after five hours of deliberation. Patterson was found guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to the Associated Press. The decision came after two weeks of testimony about the 2013 death of Tyrese Robert Ruffin.
Patterson allegedly assaulted the boy while they were alone in a Sioux Falls apartment, according to authorities. The autopsy revealed that the boy had taken four blows to the head that resulted in his brain bleeding. Doctors stated that the boy's injuries could not have been accidental.
Patterson's defense team stated that Ruffin was choking on a fruit snack, and a doctor testified saying the autopsy photos showed injuries that are consistent with a child receiving CPR. Patterson could now face life in prison.
Peterson said he only found out that the boy was his son two months prior to his death. Peterson was suspended from the NFL last year for "an incident of abusive discipline" to his 4-year son, according to NFL reporter Conor Orr.
Peterson had been working out a time to meet with Griffin before receiving a call that his son was in the hospital. Peterson said he raced to South Dakota to see his son for the first time the day before he died, according to Associated Press.
