Testimony begins in trial of son charged in killing

There is no question that James Dale Stephenson died at the hands of his son, Ryan, attorneys told a jury in Prince William Circuit Court on Tuesday.

But what is in question is what happened the day he died.

Ryan James Stephenson, 23, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder Tuesday, at the beginning of a trial that is expected to last two days.

Stephenson is accused of strangling his father to death July 1 inside the Davis Ford Road house where they both lived.

During her opening statement, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Kristina Robinson painted Ryan Stephenson as a "mean, vengeful, ungrateful boy."

She said James Stephenson expected his son to do certain chores and show some responsibility around the house in exchange for giving him a place to stay. But Ryan Stephenson did not want to meet his father's expectations, she said.

"He killed his father because he wanted to be left alone," Robinson told jurors.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Raymond Morely said that it was James Stephenson, not his son, who initiated the fight that ultimately led to his death.

"For some reason, James Stephenson was upset with Ryan," Morely said. "Ryan reasonably feared for his life or serious bodily injury."

Morely said that James Stephenson attempted to start a fight with his son three times that morning. In the third incident, Ryan Stephenson went to his father's room to see if their disagreement had been resolved, and his father again attempted to hit him, Morely said in his opening statement.

Ryan Stephenson eventually put his father in a headlock to "try to contain the situation," Morely said.

Robinson said that Ryan Stephenson was then trying to kill his father.

James Stephenson was a patient and caring father, who never used physical discipline, his wife, Randee Heath, testified Tuesday. Heath is Ryan Stephenson's stepmother.

Heath said James Stephenson appeared to be "happy, in a good mood" before she left to go to work that morning, the last time she would see her husband alive.

Also Tuesday, jurors heard testimony from police officers who first responded to the scene and took Ryan Stephenson's statement. At the time, he said his father attacked him and he defended himself, police said.

The trial continues today. If convicted of first-degree murder, Stephenson faces up to life in prison.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.