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A Florida man who claimed his girlfriend choked to death during oral sex was found not guilty of second-degree murder.
Richard Patterson, 65, of Margate, was acquitted Monday of the murder of his late girlfriend, 60-year-old Francisca Marquinez, in 2015.
Richard Patterson, Credit: BCSO
During the week-long trial, his lawyers initially argued that Marquinez died accidentally while engaging in oral sex on Patterson. To support their defense, Patterson’s lawyers filed a motion to show his allegedly large penis to the jury.
The prosecution reportedly did not object to the motion, but argued at the trial that his penis must be erect in order to stand as hard evidence, according to a report by WPLG.
But medical experts testified that choking during the sexual activity was very unlikely, and the judge never acted on the request for Patterson to showcase his member.
Instead, the defense argued that there was no way of knowing how Marquinez died. Medical examiners were unable to determine a cause of death because the victim's body was too decomposed.
The jury spent five hours deliberating before reaching a verdict.
If Patterson was convicted, he would have faced life in prison.
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