Jerry Matthews testifies he wasn’t abusive to ex-girlfriend

CEDAR RAPIDS - Jerry Matthews took the stand Thursday and denied physically abusing his ex-girlfriend during their six-year relationship and on Jan. 5, he claimed she stabbed him first, then he stabbed her in the shoulder and also stabbed himself.

Matthews, 29, contradicted the woman's testimony about their entire relationship and the incident on Jan. 5. He claimed she stabbed him and her wounds were from glass shards after she tripped and fell on a glass table. At first, he said he didn't know why he stabbed himself. He then said he thought he had killed her and 'his life was over.”

Matthews of Cedar Rapids, is charged with attempted murder, willful injury, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon (domestic abuse). He is accused of repeatedly stabbing his 24-year-old ex-girlfriend in the neck and head Jan. 5, according to a criminal complaint.

The woman testified Tuesday that Matthews had physically abused over their six year relationship and on Jan. 5, he attempted to sexually assault her and when she refused he stabbed her multiple times.

The defense rested after Matthews' testimony and closing arguments finished about 4 p.m. Thursday. The jury will start deliberations Friday.

Matthews testified the woman started the arguments and always slapped or hit him. She was jealous and there were issues over him being financially irresponsible. He never slapped or choked her or ever punched her in the stomach when she was six months pregnant, as she testified on Tuesday.

Matthews said she was jealous to the point that she didn't want him to work because she couldn't 'keep tabs” on him.

Matthews admitted to overdosing on cold medicine Jan. 4. He was ready to leave and he told her that night when she came home from work. She was upset and didn't want to take care of the kids on her own, he said.

They decided to get a pizza and some drinks, and everything seemed fine, Matthews said. The children went to bed and he offered to give her a massage. He said they started having sex but then woman got up and went into the bathroom.

She came back angry and demanded to know what he did with the old pills. Matthews said he took them.

Matthews said she went to look again and came back with a knife.

'She told me ‘If you're going to kill yourself, you should do it right,'” Matthews said. 'She started berating me and said our son wasn't mine. I was hurt.”

Matthews said he threw the knife in her direction and she picked it up and stabbed him in the chest. He fell back on the sofa and she stabbed him again. She then went toward the bedroom, looked at their son and then looked back at him. He thought she was going to do something so he went after her and she tripped and fell backward into the table. He took the knife from her as he cut his knee on broken glass and then he stabbed her in the shoulder.

Matthews backed up and she made it to the door and went out screaming in the hallway. It was at this point that he stabbed himself.

Assistant Linn County attorney Jason Burns on cross pointed out he had previous convictions within the last 10 years for 'crimes of dishonesty.”

Matthews admitted he had four convictions for forgery, theft, unlawful use of a credit card and lying about his identity to police. He also admitted to having two civil domestic abuse protection orders and two criminal protective orders against him by the woman.

Burns asked why he didn't call 911 while in the locked bathroom with four bleeding chest wounds. Instead, he called his aunt in Chicago and posted an apology for the incident on Facebook.

Matthews said he didn't know. He needed to talk to his aunt.

Burns asked why he wouldn't give consent to be treated at the hospital.

Matthews said he didn't want anyone at the hospital to touch him.

'Did you want to die,” Burns said.

'I don't know,” Matthews said.