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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar, July 7, 2015 ... Council Corner: It’s the solstice; thoughts on freedom ... Smithsonian exhibit includes video about Rogue innovators ... Ashland Calendar, July 7, 2015 ... Council Corner: It’s the solstice; thoughts on freedom ... Smithsonian exhibit includes video about Rogue innovators ... COURTS Ashland man gets five years in stabbing case An Ashland man was sentenced to five years in prison for stabbing a man he found having sex with his wife. Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:46 PM Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 5:27 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:46 PM Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 5:27 PM » Social News An Ashland man was sentenced to five years in prison for stabbing a man he found having sex with his wife. Benjamin Charles Williamson, 34, of the 1300 block of Quincy Street, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court to attempt to commit first-degree assault. He had originally been indicted for attempted murder, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and fourth-degree assault. On the night of Nov. 3, 2014, Williamson came home and found Sean Gardner and his wife having sex on a couch. He snapped, grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Gardner four or five times, according to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office. He then went outside and called 911 to report he had stabbed someone, said his defense attorney, Michael Bertholf. "He wanted to take responsibility. It's a tragic case all around," Bertholf said. "It would be a shocker for anyone to walk in and see what was happening." Williamson said he is the father of three boys and has been a hard-working person all his life. "As much as this scares me, I'm ready to take responsibility for what I've done," he said in a shaky voice in court. Williamson said he prays for Gardner and hopes for forgiveness. Gardner had been taken to Rogue Regional Medical Center with multiple stab wounds. "This was a horrible mistake," Williamson said. Judge Kelly Ravassipour said while Williamson's reaction to finding his wife with another man was tragic, he had taken responsibility for his actions from the beginning when he called 911. That's what helped the prosecution and defense negotiate a plea agreement that saved him from a Measure 11 sentence in which he could have received 20 years to life in prison, Ravassipour said. "You've got a really good attitude going up there," she said, referring to his coming time in an Oregon prison. Williamson has been held in jail without bail since Nov. 4, 2014. As he was led out of court, he looked at crying relatives in the audience and made a heart shape with his fingers. A check of Jackson County Circuit Court records shows no other cases involving Benjamin Williamson going back at least five years, except for a landlord/tenant dispute involving him, his wife and a landlord that went to mediation. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Feb. 10, 2015 at 2:46 PM Updated Feb 10, 2015 at 5:27 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501