Jackson Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder in Stabbing

Tony Stewart, 44, of Jackson, was on trial today in Madison County Circuit Court, Division I. A jury deliberated about an hour and a half before finding him guilty of Attempted Second Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault, Coercion of a Witness and Evading Arrest. The jury also assessed a fine totaling $32,000. This conviction stems from a 2008 attack on a Jackson woman. On September 1 around noon, Jackson police received a call of a man stabbing a woman in the area of E. College and N. Highland Avenue. Stewart and an acquaintance, Virginia Greer, 43, had previous arguments within the past couple of weeks. Stewart approached Greer and confronted her about their past disagreements. He then stabbed her with a knife. Stewart threatened a citizen who attempted to render aid to Ms. Greer. Police chased Stewart on foot and apprehended him shortly after the attack. Ms. Greer suffered four knife wounds, one of which punctured a lung. Stewart will remain in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction pending an October 13 sentencing hearing. He had been paroled by the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole for 13 felony convictions, which were either aggravated burglaries or felony thefts. He faces up to 42 years in prison for this attack, which must run consecutive to a previous 21 year sentence.