Izzy's Murder Defendant Hires Prominent Joliet Lawyer

JOLIET, IL - About 45 minutes before bar closing time, several patrons of Izzy's Bar were horrified as someone walked inside and fatally shot 52-year-old bartender Danny Rios in the back of his head. Then the bar owner's son, Thomas Izquierdo, was shot in the abdomen. Another bullet was fired at one of the customers, Artis Henderson, but that bullet missed and appeared to go through the front window, Patch noticed last week. The shootings occurred at 1:15 a.m. Friday, March 9 on Theodore Street.

In response, Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow filed 10 felony counts against 55-year-old Patrick Gleason of Crest Hill. The charges include multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder. If the prosecution prevails, Gleason will surely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

This week, Will County's judicial system was notified that Gleason will be represented by private counsel. The murder defendant has retained the downtown Joliet law firm of attorney Chuck Bretz. The Bretz Law Office currently has several of Will County's most high-profile criminal cases. Among the recent notables, Bretz was retained to represent Jeremy Boshears, the Joliet Outlaws motorcycle club member, charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of Katie Kearns. The 24-year-old New Lenox Township resident had recently taken a part-time job tending bar at Woody's, a rough and tough bar on Joliet's East Washington Street back in November.

After leaving Woody's, Kearns was fatally shot in the head. Her body was put in the back of her vehicle, which was driven about an hour south of Joliet. Boshears, 32, has remained in custody since Nov. 18. His bail was set at $10 million.

Another current client of Bretz is 44-year-old Joliet resident Jason Errichetto. He is charged with attempted murder in late November's brutal beating of Rockdale bartender Michele Astrowski. She was tortured and left for dead in an old industrial park in Rockdale. Errichetto, an ex-convict and previously convicted domestic abuser in Will County, was dating the Rockdale bartender at the time.

Since Nov. 30, Errichetto was detained in Will County's Jail without bond. Bretz subsequently filed a motion asking Judge Daniel Rippy to set a reasonable bond for his client. On March 2, the lawyers made their arguments, and Rippy decided to set a $5 million bail for Errichetto.

Errichetto needs to come up with $500,000 cash to post bond while his criminal case looms. That has yet to happen.

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Image of Joliet criminal defense attorney Chuck Bretz via Joliet Patch files