Northeast Tennessee DA dies on weekend trip to Nashville

Anthony “Tony” Clark of Unicoi County, district attorney general for the 1st Judicial District of Northeast Tennessee, died Sunday while on a trip with family to Nashville, reports the Johnson City Press. Police say he died of “natural causes” and had been scheduled to undergo a medical procedure in Nashville this week while others say he was also in the capitol city for an Eagles concert held Saturday.

Clark, 54, had been in office since 2006 and was re-elected to an eight-year term in 2014. A Johnson City native and graduate of Greeneville High School, Clark earned bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and political science from East Tennessee State University and earned his law degree in 1992 from the University of Tennessee.

He had served as an assistant district attorney general in the district starting in 1994.

Anyone who knew Clark knew he was an avid Tennessee Volunteers fan and loved attending games. Area attorneys and prosecutors who spoke publicly about Clark’s passing all had a similar thing to say — he was a good man with a big heart who cared about and loved his friends and family.