Oklahoma man gets 30 years in prison for fatal 'atomic wedgie'

By Heide Brandes

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - An Oklahoma man was sentenced late on Thursday to 30 years in prison for asphyxiating his stepfather with an "atomic wedgie" in December 2013.

Brad Lee Davis, 35, of McLoud, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in May in the death of his stepfather. Pottawatomie County District Judge John G. Canavan Jr. rejected Davis' plea for a second chance.

Davis said he knocked down his stepfather, Denver Lee St. Clair, 58, and pulled the elastic band of underwear over his head and around his neck.

This left ligature marks on the victim, according to police. The medical examiner stated the cause of death as blunt force trauma and asphyxiation.

Davis and St. Clair had been drinking together the night of the incident and began fighting when Davis claimed St. Clair began speaking ill about Davis' mother, who is St. Clair's wife.

But Davis had never intended to kill St. Clair, said Davis' attorney Bob Wyatt.

Davis was initially charged with first-degree murder in January 2014, and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in May.

(Editing by Suzannah Gonzales and G Crosse)