Macon Man gets life in prison for deadly Father’s Day cookout beating

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)－A judge sentenced Macon man to life in prison on Wednesday for the 2018 fatal beating of 55-year-old Jeffery Lorenzo Burke at a Father’s Day cookout.

This is according to a news release from the Macon-Bibb DA David Cooke’s office.

The news release says that the trial for 32-year-old James Christopher Patterson began Aug. 27 in Bibb County Superior Court. Jurors found Patterson guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault on June 17, 2018, beating of Burke.

Prosecutors presented the following evidence during the trial:

• Witnesses testified that Burke and others went to a house on Astor Street in east Macon for a Father’s Day cookout.
• Patterson and Burke engaged in some “trash talking” during the party.
• As the cookout ended, Burke took some to-go plates to his truck.
• Later, Patterson struck Burke in the face, causing a broken nose, broken orbital bone and other injuries.
• Finally, Patterson and two unidentified suspects kicked and stomped on Burke.
• Burke was admitted to a local hospital for about two months due to the injuries.
• He died on Sept. 9, 2018, about three weeks after his discharge.
• An emergency room doctor and the medical examiner who performed Burke’s autopsy testified multiple bones in Burke’s spine were broken or damaged, leaving him paralyzed.
• The medical examiner testified his death stemmed from the attack.