GREENEVILLE, Tenn. — Update (3/14/24): Greeneville Police Department Chief Steve Spano said the city's assistant police chief is back on duty after a jury acquitted him of a domestic violence charge he was facing.
The TBI said in March 2023 a Greene County grand jury indicted Stephen Hixson, the assistant chief of the Greeneville Police Department, for simple assault. According to the TBI, agents began investigating allegations that Hixson had assaulted his stepdaughter after an argument at a home on Sunnyside Ridge Drive in Greeneville on Dec. 10, 2022.
On March 14, 2024, Chief Spano announced that a jury found Hixson not guilty on all charges.
"The trial by jury emphasizes the importance of a fair judicial process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty," Spano said. "The outcome reaffirms his innocence throughout the entire process and continues to show the importance of a fair and impartial judicial system in addressing allegations of misconduct."
Greeneville city manager Todd Smith placed Hixson back on full-duty status after the trial.
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Greeneville's assistant police chief turned himself in Monday after a grand jury indicted him for an assault that happened back in December, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The TBI said a Greene County grand jury indicted Stephen Hixson, the assistant chief of the Greeneville Police Department, for simple assault. Agents said he turned himself in and was booked into the Greene County Jail Monday afternoon on a $2,000 bond.
According to the TBI, agents began investigating allegations that Hixson had assaulted his stepdaughter after an argument at a home on Sunnyside Ridge Drive in Greeneville on Dec. 10, 2022.
The complaint was filed with the Greene County Sheriff's Department, according to the GPD.
Hixson's attorney issued the following statement shortly after the TBI's announcement:
"Mr. Hixson has dedicated his career to protecting and serving his community. Mr. Hixson has fully cooperated with authorities and will continue to do so. We look forward to resolving this case quickly, and anticipate Mr. Hixson’s name being cleared of any criminal wrong doing."