Izzy's Bar Murder Defendant Remains Successful At Delaying Trial

JOLIET, IL — After being housed in Will County's Jail for almost five years, the man charged with the first-degree murder of Izzy's bartender Danny Rios continues to be successful at delaying his case from going to trial in front of Will County Judge Daniel Rippy.

This week, Joliet murder defendant Patrick Gleason appeared in Courtroom 402, now acting as his own lawyer. Gleason learned the judge rejected his motion to exhume the body of Rios. The 52-year-old Joliet resident was fatally shot in the back of the head while tending bar inside Izzy's, which is on Theodore Street. The bar owner's son, Tommy Izquierdo, was shot in the stomach. He recovered from his life-threatening injuries and has a civil lawsuit pending against Gleason.

"Gleason had been expelled from Izzy's on several occasions prior to March 9, 2018, and had been instructed not to return," one of the Will County civil lawsuits states.

After Rios was shot, people inside the bar tackled Gleason, who wore a mask over his head, and held him down until Joliet police arrived, court documents state.

On Tuesday, Joliet Patch reviewed the entire criminal court docket for Gleason, who is now 60 years old. The file helps shed light on why Gleason's murder case has yet to go to trial.

On Monday, after rejecting Gleason's motion to exhume the murder victim's body from Woodlawn, the judge scheduled Gleason's next court appearance for Jan. 18, 2023.

Here's a summary of noteworthy court dates and legal issues pertaining to the murder of Rios. At the time of his arrest by Joliet police, Gleason lived within walking distance of Izzy's Bar. His house was in Crest Hill on Dearborn Street.

Timeline of Key Events in the Danny Rios Murder Case:

March 9, 2018: Joliet police obtain an arrest warrant for Gleason, then 55.

March 12, 2018: Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow files 10 felonies against Gleason, including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

March 14, 2018: Downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer Chuck Bretz files his appearance as Gleason's lawyer.

March 28, 2018: Bretz files a motion seeking a mental fitness evaluation for Gleason.

May 22, 2018: Bretz files a motion to get Gleason his prescribed medications including Alprazolam, Trazodone, Phenobarbital and Pioglitazone; medications to treat his anxiety and panic disorder, depression, insomnia, provide sleep assistance and treat his diabetes.

June 14, 2019: Bretz files a motion to have Gleason undergo a mental fitness evaluation. "The defendant's behavior has become increasingly erratic and has demonstrated a marked detachment from reality. In addition, the defendant has recently refused a subsequent meeting with defense counsel," Bretz argued.

Nov. 15, 2019: Gleason, on his own, submits a motion from Will County's Jail asking the judge to relieve Bretz as defense counsel "due to there being an obvious conflict of interest ... The defendant's choice to hire new counsel is in no way a delay tactic or to interfere with the administration of justice," Gleason wrote.

Feb. 18, 2020: Judge Rippy finds Gleason mentally fit to stand trial.

March 2, 2020: Gleason mails the U.S. District Court in Chicago a pro se federal lawsuit against the Joliet Police Department seeking $100 million for "all the damages, pain and suffering." The seven-page federal lawsuit, filed without Bretz's knowledge, states, "I am suing the Joliet Police Department for false arrest, defamation of character, fraud, tampering with evidence at the murder scene including video surveillance and re-enacting a murder scene to convict, excessive force causing severe trauma to both the face and head, and brain damage. According to Joliet police, I was found on the floor at Izzy's Bar with a bloodied face unconscious."

A federal judge dismissed Gleason's pro se lawsuit against Joliet police that October.

March 13, 2020: Gleason files another motion to relieve Bretz as defense counsel.

March 20, 2020: Gleason agrees to withdraw his motion to get rid of Bretz.

2020: The COVID-19 global pandemic prompts a significant delay in all pending criminal court cases in Will County and elsewhere.

March 29, 2021: Gleason, through his attorney, demands a speedy trial.

March 31, 2021: Rippy sets Gleason's jury trial for May 3, 2021.

April 8, 2021: Assistant State's Attorney Adam Capelli files a pretrial motion seeking an additional prison term of 25 years to life for Gleason in connection with the Izzy's bar shootings.

April 14, 2021: With the jury trial just three weeks away, Bretz files a motion declaring that Gleason is relying on the presumption of innocence for the jury trial.

April 18, 2021: Prosecutors file a motion to admit Izzy's bar surveillance video as evidence because "portions of the incident were captured on surveillance video that was obtained from a camera and surveillance system located at Izzy's bar at 507 Theodore Street, Joliet ... the video captures footage from multiple different cameras located both inside and outside of the establishment."

April 22, 2021: With the trial less than two weeks away, Bretz files a motion as to Gleason's mental fitness for trial. Judge Rippy orders a mental health fitness exam for Gleason and the May 3, 2021, trial date is taken off the court calendar.

June 1, 2021: Rippy appoints Will County Probation Services to determine Gleason's mental fitness to stand trial.

Sept. 24, 2021: Gleason refuses to meet with a doctor for his mental fitness exam, further delaying his case. The judge orders Gleason to go to an undisclosed Illinois Department of Human Services facility for the exam.

Nov. 5, 2021: Gleason is now at an undisclosed DHS facility for treatment.

March 4, 2022: Rippy finds Gleason unfit to stand trial at this time. Gleason will remain in the care of DHS until his mental fitness is restored.

May 18, 2022: Gleason is ordered to wear a spit hood while in Judge Rippy's courtroom from now on.

July 26, 2022: Gleason informs Rippy he will be hiring new defense counsel. The judge grants Bretz permission to withdraw as Gleason's lawyer.

Aug. 1, 2022: Gleason wants to proceed pro se, as a self-litigant murder defendant.

Sept. 1, 2022: Gleason seeks access to the discovery files, which are the prosecution's evidence to be used against him at trial.

Oct. 4, 2022: Gleason still intends to proceed as a pro se defendant.

Oct. 21, 2022: Gleason is allowed to review the prosecution's discovery.

Nov. 18, 2022: Gleason requests that the body of Rios be exhumed from Woodlawn Memorial Park to "reprocess and (analyze) the DNA of the victim due to the negligence of the state using unorthodox means to procure a sample from the victim, violating defendant's rights," Gleason wrote.

Nov. 23, 2022: Assistant State's Attorney Capelli asks the judge to deny Gleason's motion to exhume the victim's body. "The DNA of the victim is not an issue in this manner, as the victim has been properly identified as Daniel Rios. Furthermore, the DNA of the victim was collected at the autopsy and is in evidence at the Joliet Police Department ... Exhumation of Mr. Rios' body would be unnecessary and irrelevant."

Dec. 12, 2022: Gleason is allowed to proceed pro-se. Courtroom arguments are heard. The judge denies Gleason's motion to exhume the body. The murder case gets continued to Jan. 18, 2023 to discuss the appearance of new private defense counsel for Gleason and setting the case for jury trial.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Rios Family Sues Murder Defendant Patrick Gleason
• Izzy's Murder Defendant Claims Cops Killed Him, Trial Almost Here
• Izzy's Murder Defendant Wants His 4 Meds: Bretz
• Izzy's Murder Defendant Wants Bretz Out As Lawyer