'I Feel Really Bad About Killing That Guy' Murder Defendant Told JPD

JOLIET, IL — Downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer Jeff Tomczak, wrapping up his first year representing long-time Joliet first-degree murder defendant Patrick "Pat" Gleason, has filed a motion asking a Will County judge to suppress his client's incriminating statements to Joliet police detectives more than five-and-a-half years ago.

In March of 2018, Gleason was tackled by several customers inside Izzy's Bar on Theodore Street after Joliet police say Gleason entered the bar late at night, pointed his gun at the back of Danny Rios' head and fired, taking the Joliet bartender's life. The bar owner's son was also shot in the stomach and was seriously injured, but survived the ordeal.

Tomczak took over Gleason's defense in January. Gleason was previously represented by attorney Chuck Bretz, but Gleason did not get along with the prominent local attorney, so they parted ways.

According to Tomczak's motion to suppress statements, Joliet Police Detective Marc Reid was assigned to a security detail prisoner watch for Gleason, at Loyola hospital in Maywood. Reid's security watch began at 2 p.m. March 10, 2018, and continued until 6 a.m. March 11, 2018.

According to Reid's police report, "Gleason made the following spontaneous statements ... in my presence."

• "I've never shot anyone before. I've never killed anyone before."
• "I feel really bad about killing that guy."
• "My blood pleasure medication is at home, I shot some dude."
• "Have to move out of my house, no one likes a murderer."
• "How many guys did I shoot, two? On TV it said the bartender tried stepping in."

Reid's police report noted specific times and dates for all five statements.

"Gleason did not make any other spontaneous statements regarding the homicide," Reid wrote in his report dated March 21, 2018.

According to Tomczak's motion, Gleason was arrested on March 9, 2018, and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder and that "subsequent to his arrest, the defendant was interrogated by Detective Marc Reid to whom he gave oral statements which the State has indicated it intends to introduce against the defendant."

Tomczak argues his client's "statements given to law enforcement personnel were the result of physical/mental coersion directed against the defendant by Detective Reid at the Loyola Hospital ... and statements were, therefore, involuntary."

Tomczak's motion asked for a pretrial hearing to determine whether the statement from Gleason was given voluntarily and Tomczak wants the judge to "suppress as evidence any and all communications, confessions, statement, admissions or tests, whether inculpatory, written or oral, made by the defendant."

Will County Judge Dave Carlson has set Gleason's next hearing in his Courtroom 405 for Nov. 21. Gleason has lived in Will County Jail's since March 11, 2018. A resident of Crest Hill's Dearborn Street, within walking distance of Izzy's Bar, Gleason's bail remains $10 million.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Tomczak Law Group Aims To Bring Gleason's Murder Case To An End

Will Murder Victim Danny Rios' Body Be Exhumed From Grave?

Izzy's Bar Murder Defendant Remains Successful At Delaying Trial