From Jody Pickens, District Attorney General, 26th Judicial District
On October 28, 2019, the Madison County, Tennessee Grand Jury indicted thirty-nine-year-old Antonio Tywan James, of Jackson, Tennessee for First Degree Murder, Tampering With Evidence, and Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The indictment stemmed from a March 5, 2019, incident that occurred in the 200 block of Highview Street. On that date officers of the Jackson Police Department responded to the scene of a shooting at around 6:00 p.m. Upon arrival, Ermateen James, fifty-two years of age, was found on the living room floor of the residence suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The investigation determined that her son, Antonio Tywan James, shot her after a dispute wherein she told him to leave the residence due to him being disrespectful to her. According to witnesses, prior to leaving the house the defendant threatened the life of his mother if she put his belongings out of the house. Witnesses stated that the defendant pointed a handgun at his mother, shot her in the head, and then fled the scene to leave other family members to attempt to save the victim’s life. After being apprehended, the defendant admitted throwing the murder weapon in a pond. The defendant has previous convictions in state court for Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon in 2000. In addition, the defendant had a federal conviction from 2001 for being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
On August 12, 2021, after a three day trial, the defendant was convicted by jury of First Degree Murder and Tampering with Evidence. The defendant had previously entered a guilty plea to Convicted Felon in Possession of a Firearm. During the penalty phase of the trial, the jury sentenced the defendant to Life With the Possibility of Parole for his conviction for First Degree Murder with sentencing on the remaining counts set for October 12, 2021. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney General Matthew Floyd and investigated by the Major Crimes Unit of the Jackson Police Department, with Sergeant Nick Donald being the primary case agent.
“This case stands as an example of what can occur in a domestic dispute and why we as a community should not tolerate domestic violence of any level. Ermateen James was taken from her family too soon and now the Defendant will spend the rest of his days in prison with the knowledge that he ended the life of the person who gave him life and in doing so, he in essence, ended his own. There are no winners in this case but nonetheless justice was served.”
