Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Aubrey Chase Mathis, 32, who has been in the Alachua County Jail since July 2024, was charged with battery on a public defender yesterday after allegedly punching his attorney during jury selection.

Mathis was arrested last July after allegedly attacking an elderly man outside HCA Florida North Florida Hospital just three days after he was released from prison, and jury selection for his trial began on Monday, March 17.

At about 10:45 a.m., during jury selection, Mathis allegedly stood up in the courtroom and punched his public defender twice in the face; the victim reportedly had redness and swelling under his eye as a result of the attack. The public defender’s office motion to withdraw from the case was granted by Judge James Colaw, and the Alachua County Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel has been assigned to defend Mathis. Jury selection in the July case was rescheduled to March 31.

Mathis has been charged with battery on a public defender. He has 14 felony convictions (three violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (none violent); he has served four state prison terms and was last released three days before the July incident. He was described as homeless on the arrest report. 

Mathis was already being held on $75,000 bail in the July case, and he is currently being held without bail pending a return to First Appearance tomorrow.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.