A mail carrier on his delivery route became the victim of a road-rage related stabbing in Biscayne Park, Miami, last Monday, July 21. The alleged assailant, 27-year-old Valentino Jlil, has been arrested and faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and using a weapon during the commission of a felony. According to an NBC Miami report, the confrontation occurred after Jlil, riding a scooter, felt the mail carrier didn't yield the right of way when making a turn on Northeast 10th Avenue.
The stabbed mail carrier, a 60-year-old man named Eugene Mason, defended himself against Jlil, who had reportedly become irate and began flailing his hands, yelling obscenities; as he approached the mail truck after the initial altercation, Jlil obstructed the path with his scooter and then physically confronted Mason, stated the authorities. In their altercation, Mason eventually wrestled Jlil to the ground in self-defense, not realizing he had been stabbed until he noticed blood on his chest. Local residents, expressing support for Mason, who is recognized as a beloved figure, have set up a GoFundMe page to help with his medical expenses, after he was treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center.
After the incident, Jlil, found by police with a knife and a cut on his index finger, claimed he stood his ground, possibly referencing Florida’s self-defense laws. Nevertheless, when Jlil appeared before Judge Mindy Glazer, his self-defense claims did not preclude him from being ordered held without bond, as reported by Local 10. During his bond court appearance, Jlil’s attorney, Zac Rosenberg, argued for no probable cause which Judge Glazer dismissed before commenting, "You’re lucky they didn’t bring you to federal court."
Currently, Jlil is detained in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Judge Glazer noted to Jlil, "You have a good attorney. Listen to what he tells you," as noted by Local 10.
