Jury delivers verdict in Midland landlord's second-degree murder case
Warning: Details in this article may be disturbing or triggering to some readers.
The Midland man facing second-degree murder for the death of his tenant in 2021 was found not guilty on Friday.
Rick Patrick, 68, claimed he acted in self-defence when he fatally stabbed Chris Forrester in the chest.
The jury heard the two men had a tense relationship, and Patrick had intended to evict Forrester from the trailer he was renting to him.
The courtroom heard the 911 call Patrick made moments after stabbing Forrester, frantic and begging for help.
“Just get here and help him. He’s going to die, man,” he could be heard saying to the dispatcher.
Patrick said Forrester tried to attack him after he arrived home and exited his car.
“He ran at me from behind,” he said to the dispatcher, “he was trying to attack me.”
Forrester’s mother testified about her son’s deteriorating mental health, telling the court he “was going crazy” and had a “nervous breakdown.”
“Something snapped,” she said from the witness stand.
Forrester died at the scene within minutes. He was 36.
Throughout the trial, Patrick maintained he feared for his life and never intended to kill his former friend and tenant.
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