At 7:30 a.m. November 7, 2016, a phone call was made to
911.[1] The caller, identified in court documents as
H.P., called 911 to report a disturbance from the night before involving her
son, Derrick Patrick (“Patrick”).[2] Police were dispatched to the family
residence and an investigation ensued.[3] The police investigation explored allegations
of an altercation between Patrick and family members the evening before, but
during the course of the 911 call, another possible altercation arose – this
time between Patrick and H.P.[4] Patrick was charged with third degree
domestic assault, a class A misdemeanor, for an alleged altercation with H.P.
during the phone call she made to 911.[5] A bench trial was held in Boone County,
Missouri, that included the admission of portions of a police officer’s body
camera footage and a recording of H.P.’s 911 call.[6] Patrick was found guilty by the trial court.[7] Patrick appealed the decision to the Missouri
Court of Appeals for the Western District, contending that the trial court
abused its discretion in admitting the 911 call and the police body camera
footage.[8]
