A federal jury returned Tuesday to find former Buchanan County Jailer David Shawn Hicks not guilty on five counts of perjury and two counts of obstruction of justice.
  Hicks, who pled not guilty, was charged with obstruction of justice and perjury in the aftermath of the 2002 death of Tina Stiltner, 39, who was an inmate in the Buchanan County Jail at the time. Stiltner was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and child endangerment.
  Hicks was not charged with having been responsible for her death.
  The issue of what caused Tina Stiltner's death, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee admitted from the start of the trial was not in question.
  "The government believes the evidence will show that forces in her life came together . . . she was depressed . . . she took medication . . . she was arrested and charged with child endangerment and she was in a dark jail cell," Brownlee said. "For whatever reason, that day, she took her own life . . . took the cord in her coat, wrapped it around her neck and she killed herself."
  The seven man, five-woman jury hearing the case deliberated for five hours before returning with its verdict of not guilty at the conclusion of the three-day trial in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.
  Members of the Hicks family were overcome with tears of joy and relief as the verdicts on each of the seven counts were read aloud in succession by Judge James Jones.
  Stiltner's father, Ed, sat in disbelief, murmuring, "I can't believe it."
  Hicks commented briefly to this newspaper after the acquittal was announced by the judge and said it was difficult to describe how he was feeling.
  "I don't know how to explain it," Hicks said. "I'm happy they (the jury) paid attention to all the evidence and took their time with it."
  William Cleaveland, Hicks' attorney, said he was "very, very pleased" with the jury verdict.