Accused in N.S. stabbing that left man paralyzed to appear in court Tuesday

A 19-year-old man accused of a stabbing in New Glasgow, N.S., that has left another man paralyzed from the waist down will appear in court Tuesday.

Shane Edward Matheson of Trenton, N.S., will appear in Pictou provincial court on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public after the incident early Saturday morning near a downtown intersection.

The 27-year-old man was taken to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to a hospital in Halifax in critical but stable condition.

The family of the man who was stabbed has identified the victim as Scott Jones.

The fiance of Jones' sister, Jason Cormier, says he believes Jones was attacked because he's gay.

Police say they have no evidence to indicate it was hate crime, but are still investigating.

Cormier says Jones had been celebrating the opening of a friend's art gallery at a local bar Friday night and noticed two men glaring at him.

Cormier says Jones told him he and his friends later left to go to another bar when the two men approached them, one of whom stabbed Jones twice in the back and sliced his throat.

Cormier said Jones is a musician and a choir director in the community and although he is paralyzed, he remains positive about his future.