Anthony Craighead, deputy district attorney general in Anderson County, has retired.
“This week marks the well-deserved but bittersweet retirement of my friend and crime fighting partner, Deputy District Attorney General Tony Craighead,” Seventh Judicial District Attorney General Dave Clark said on Saturday. “Tony has been fighting for justice and victims for 30 years in Tennessee, and for the last eight years, he has been our leading trial court prosecutor here in Anderson County.
“The job of being a chief law enforcement officer for a portion of our state is a great privilege and an awesome responsibility. The pressure, emotional, physical and psychological burden of the responsibility for resolving the homicides, child abuse, home burglaries and child pornography cases collectively wear on one’s soul. Tony has carried that load for all of us for a long time.”
Craighead has been a prosecutor in many of the cases covered by Oak Ridge Today, including homicide and murder cases.
Clark said Craighead is a remarkably gifted trial lawyer who is famous across Tennessee. His work has been featured in several national television programs, Clark said.
“He was never afraid of the hard work or risk of trying cases that needed to be tried,” Clark said. “His approach to organizing and trying a case has forever changed my own approach.
“As we have fought to keep gangs, drugs, and violence out of Anderson County, Tony was on the front line of that fight every day and commuted from Cookeville to do it! Thank you, General Craighead, for all you have done for the people of Tennessee!
“We wish him a happy retirement!”
In an email, Clark said he does not currently plan to name a deputy district attorney general to replace Craighead.
“The other lawyers in my office are assistant district attorney generals,” Clark said. “So, there is no direct replacement for Tony’s role right now. We have a new prosecutor, but her role will be different.”
Clark also recently announced the swearing-in of a new assistant attorney general, Sarah Keith.
She joins the DA’s office after Craighead’s retirement.
“Please help us in welcoming and congratulating General Keith!” Clark said. “We are so happy to have her knowledge and have her added to our team!”
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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