Man Says He Killed His Father Accidentally
2 Argued Over Behavior, Son Testifies

By Jonathan Mummolo
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 9, 2009

Ryan Stephenson told a Prince William County jury yesterday that he accidentally killed his father in July after they got into an argument over his recent behavior and why he hadn't mowed the lawn.

Stephenson said that he told his father that he had been sick with strep throat but that they began arguing and fighting. As they struggled, Stephenson said, he had his father in a headlock and was afraid to let go out of fear that he would be beaten. When he realized his father was lifeless in his arms, he released him, but it was too late, he said.

"I was afraid he was going to beat the [expletive] out of me, or worse," Stephenson testified. "I was just trying to pin him."

Stephenson, 23, took the witness stand yesterday at his trial on charges of killing his father. He was originally charged with first-degree murder, but Prince William Circuit Court Judge William D. Hamblen ruled that the jury could not consider a charge higher than manslaughter.

At issue for the jury is whether Stephenson meant to fatally injure his father, James Stephenson, 46, on July 1 at their Manassas-area home.

In her opening remarks to the jury, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Kristina L. Robinson said Stephenson intentionally killed his father after being lectured on his failure to "live up to some of your responsibilities as a man in the family." She described Stephenson as a "mean, vengeful, ungrateful boy [who] . . . killed his father essentially because he wanted to be left alone."

Under questioning from Robinson, Stephenson said he had previously pleaded guilty to grand larceny and two counts of petty larceny.

Stephenson's attorney, Raymond J. Morley Jr., told the jury that his client was acting in self-defense after his father attacked him. He noted that Stephenson performed CPR on his father.

The fight occurred in the morning in Ryan Stephenson's bedroom, on the upper level of the family's home in the 6400 block of Davis Ford Road. According to witnesses, James Stephenson was planning a boating trip to Baltimore Harbor with Ryan's stepmother, Randee Heath. She testified that she kissed her husband goodbye and left the house about 9 a.m. to go to work.

"He was happy," Heath said of her husband's demeanor that morning. He was "looking forward to the vacation."

Less than two hours later, he would be fighting for his life.

Ryan Stephenson testified that he awoke to his father knocking on his bedroom door. When he answered, the two began arguing, calling each other "inconsiderate," and then his father tried to enter the room. Stephenson said he blocked his father from entering because his room was messy and full of germs from his illness. It was then that his father "bum-rushed" him, he said, pushing him onto his bed and punching him in the face.

Ryan Stephenson said he punched him back and then retreated to the hallway. His dad met him there, and the two grappled for a time before his dad withdrew, saying, " 'That's it,' " and moved to his own bedroom, Stephenson said.

Stephenson thought of simply going back to sleep but instead followed his dad into the master bedroom, concerned he would be attacked again, he said.

"I wanted to go back to sleep, but I couldn't safely do that without finding out where he stood," Stephenson testified.

When he confronted his father, he said, his dad tried to put him in a headlock, but he deflected the advance, applied his own headlock and took his father to the ground.

His father, meanwhile, had dialed 911 about 10:37 a.m., and a recording of the call was played in the courtroom. When the operator answers, "911, where is your emergency?" she is met with seconds of silence, followed by the sound of gasps for air and later Ryan Stephenson's voice.

Exactly what Stephenson said was a subject of debate in the trial. Robinson said he could be heard repeatedly imploring his father to "die." Stephenson said he was asking his father whether he was "done" fighting him.

Hamblen lowered the charge against Stephenson after Morley argued that the prosecution's evidence, which included a taped police interview in which Stephenson said his father attacked him, ruled out premeditation.

After his father's 911 call, Ryan Stephenson called 911 himself.

"My father isn't breathing," he told the operator, who then walked him through instructions on how to perform CPR.

Eventually, paramedics arrived and took over. Stephenson was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner determined he died from strangulation and ruled it a homicide.

"You did a great job," the operator told Stephenson during the call. "You should be very proud of yourself."

Closing arguments have been scheduled for Monday. If convicted, Stephenson could receive up to 10 years in prison.

Staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.