Woman stabbed with scissors in Athens family violence incident

Jeremiah Fortson

By Joe Johnson

A woman was repeatedly stabbed last week when attacked by her longtime partner in her home on Magnolia Terrace.

Courtney Walker, 48, was stabbed with a pair of scissors in the back and shoulders by 47-year-old Jeremiah Fortson.

He reportedly was angry about Walker trying to break off their 18-year relationship, during which they had two daughters.

He had left the Magnolia Terrace residence a week earlier when Walker told him that their relationship was over because he had been violently abusive.

However, a few days before the scissors attack, the woman agreed “against her better judgment” to allow Fortson back until he was “able to stand on his own two feet.”

Walker said at about 10:30 p.m. on April 30 she was having dinner while watching television in her room, when Walker entered, highly agitated and holding scissors as he paced back and forth.

He suddenly punched Walker in the face and proceeded to stab her while saying that he was going to kill her.

When the woman’s 72-year-old mother heard her screams, she grabbed a broomstick to use as a weapon on Fortson and was helped by one of her granddaughters in stopping the attack.

Fortson pushed the grandmother to the floor and then left the residence.

He was arrested the next day and charged with aggravated assault, family violence battery, and simple battery on an elderly person.

Because the juvenile daughters witnessed the violence, Fortson was additionally charged with two counts of third-degree cruelty to children.

He is being held without bail in pretrial detention.

Anyone who is in an abusive relationship can seek advice and support services by calling Project Safe's 24-hour hotline at (706) 543-3331, or by visiting http://www.project-safe.org