The man charged with murder in the death of a two-year-old boy faces new charges including felony kidnapping and assault. Joseph Patterson, 28, was out of jail on bond since October because his father paid $750,000 cash.
Patterson made his initial appearance in a Minehaha County courtroom Wednesday afternoon.
A judge set bond for Joseph Patterson at $1 million cash. He’s behind bars for first degree kidnapping, which is a felony that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Minnehaha County States Attorney Aaron McGowan says Sioux Falls Police responded to an emergency call early Wednesday morning. He says officers found Patterson kept the victim in an apartment for more than an hour.
McGowan says, in addition to kidnapping, Patterson faces assault charges. He says the victim has marks on her neck, hemorrhaging under her eyes and scratches on her torso.
"There are two separate allegations of aggravated assault under the subsection 8 involving the restriction of air and blood flow to the neck, so those are two independent acts, both punishable by up to 15 years in the penitentiary," McGowan says.
McGowan says the victim in this case is the mother of a child who died in October 2013. Patterson faces second degree murder in the death of that boy, two-year-old Tyrese Ruffin. Ruffin’s biological father is Minnesota Vikings player Adrian Peterson.
McGowan says Patterson’s bond is unusually high.
"I stressed a lot of my concerns based on the defendant’s history that justified the bond," McGowan says. "The court ultimately agreed with that argument and felt that $1 million was appropriate under the circumstances."
McGowan says Patterson’s past includes the current murder and manslaughter charges out of Lincoln County. He says Patterson also has a history of offenses against the same victim, and he’s previously violated bond.
Joseph Patterson faces additional charges of interfering with emergency communication and injury to property.
The judge also approved a no-contact order, so Patterson cannot contact the victim.