Orlando man accused of stabbing Uber driver reverses decision to represent himself
Jovaughn Matthie, charged with attempted second-degree murder, requested a lawyer after initially choosing to represent himself in court.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Jovaughn Matthie, accused of stabbing an Uber driver in Orlando, reversed his decision to represent himself in court and requested a lawyer during a pre-trial detention hearing on Friday.
Matthie is charged with attempted second-degree murder with a weapon and faces up to 30 years in prison. He is accused of stabbing an Uber driver multiple times while in the passenger seat of the driver’s car.
The incident occurred on July 20, after the driver had dropped off another passenger near downtown Orlando. According to investigators, Matthie entered the car asking for a ride and became upset when the driver refused to take a different route than the GPS suggested. Investigators said Matthie then stabbed the driver, who managed to escape and seek help. Police later found Matthie at an IHOP on East Colonial Drive with a knife.
Last week, the judge presiding over Matthie’s case warned him about the risks of self-representation, but Matthie chose to proceed without legal counsel anyway. On Friday, he changed his mind, and the public defender’s office will now take over his case.
The state had submitted evidence and prepared witnesses for Friday’s hearing, but the proceedings were rescheduled for August 5 at 9:30 a.m.
It is unclear what prompted Matthie to change his decision, though the state showed him the evidence they had ahead of the hearing.
Court records also show that Matthie’s sister wrote a letter to the judge saying, “My family loves my brother, and we want him to receive whatever care and treatment he needs while
these proceedings move forward. We are not asking for special treatment—only that his mental health be fully considered so that justice is served fairly and compassionately.”
As of Friday, Matthie is still deemed competent to stand trial.