ALBANY MAN CONVICTED OF ASSAULT IN SLASHING.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: JOHN CAHER Staff writer

ALBANY -- A city man who described himself as a peaceful soul, and then acknowledged an old conviction for voluntary manslaughter, was found guilty of assault for slashing an Albany bar owner's throat.

But the jury deliberating the case of 54-year-old John Stanfield could not decide if the longtime patron of the Bottoms Up Grill intended to kill Guy Cioppa, the tavern owner. After 17 hours of deliberations, the panel returned a verdict of guilty on first-degree assault, but could not reach unanimous agreement on an attempted second-degree murder count.

Assistant District Attorney James R. Clark said it is unclear …