Mathewson nears end of court process

Faces jail for rape, assault, kidnapping, drugs and bail juming charges

By MICHELLE LOVATO

Lake County Leader

Robert Mathewson had two choices just before he stood up in his jail chains and walked out of the courtroom: Proceed to sentencing with his attorney, or represent himself. 

Mathewson’s May outburst in front of Judge James A. Manley earned him five additional days of jail time along with a three-month sentencing interruption adding one more hiccup to Mathewson’s continually twisting case.        

Mathewson accepted plea deal on Sept. 4, admitting guilt to his latest two felony charges – bail jumping and possession of dangerous drugs – and will be sentenced in October for all his convictions, court records said.

Mathewson was convicted by a jury of one count of aggravated assault, pleaded guilty to two counts of sex without consent and one count of kidnapping in January for his actions against a woman in June 2014. 

After his conviciton, he was released on bail. Weeks later however, Mathewson missed his mandatory pre-sentencing investigation, was re-arrested and charged with felony bail jumping and felony possession of dangerous drugs.  

In May, Mathewson was back in custody and tried to fire his attorney in open court, records said.

When proceeding through the trial process for his 2014 sexual assault case, Mathewson and his attorneys appeared before District Court Judge Deborah Kim Christopher repeatedly with a variety of requests that included demanding the court to throw out several DNA evidence-related items, records said.

After repeated pre-jury trial postponements, Mathewson went to trial in December 2014.

Jurors returned one felony assault conviction and hung on the rest of the sex-related and kidnapping charges, records said. 

In January, before he faced a second trial, Mathewson pleaded guilty to the two sex-related and one kidnapping charge, records said. 

After more than a year of constant Lake County Detention Center incarceration during his trial process, Mathewson was released from custody in January and mandated to return to appropriate pre-sentencing appointments as well as future court appearances.

But Mathewson failed to keep his post-custody promises, missed his court date and faced a felony bail jumping warrant.

Once arrested a few weeks later Mathewson was charged with the felony bail and drug charges, records said. 

Back in custody with a $250,000 bail, Mathewson continued to occupy the court system’s time by demanding that District Court Judge Deborah Kim Christopher, who oversaw his criminal conviction in 2014 and rape charges plea deal be recused from his cases since he was at one time hired to do work on Christopher’s cabin and home. 

Further court proceedings with Christopher was a conflict of interest, Mathewson said, according to court records.

So the Lake County Justice system transferred his case to District Court Judge James A. Manley.

In May Mathewson appeared in Manley’s court after prosecution and defense attorneys agreed on another bail jumping and drug charges plea agreement. 

But instead of signing the plea agreement, Mathewson tried to fire his attorney and replace her with someone else, court records said.  

Mathewson’s court-appointed defense lawyer stood in open court and said: “He can’t just fire his attorney,” records said.

So Manley issued Mathewson two choices: Proceed to sentencing with his attorney, or represent himself.

Mathewson’s emotional outburst mushroomed in open court when he stood and walked to the door.

Court records said that “the court” did not try to stop Mathewson from leaving. Instead it allowed the court security staff to hold his chains while he walked himself out of the room and into a jail-connected holding area.

The court did not order courtroom staff to physically restrain Mathewson in order to avoid unnecessarily creating a dangerous situation for numerous other people in the courtroom, court records said. 

But the court did have something to say. As Mathewson made his exit Manley informed Mathewson that his outburst would result in an additional five days in jail.

“Mathewson said he was already in jail and there was nothing more the court could do to him,” records said. 

Mathewson was “taken down” in the hallway just outside of the courtroom, records said.

Mathewson ultimately resolved his attorney problem, signed the appropriate paperwork and pleaded guilty to felony bail jumping and felony possession of dangerous drugs Sept. 4.

He will be sentenced for all his charges on Oct. 7.