Gag Order In 'High-Profile' Joliet Murder Case

JOLIET, IL - A Will County Judge has taken a drastic step in hopes of muzzling news media coverage of a recent Joliet murder case. Judge Daniel Rippy imposed a gag order in the murder case of Joliet Public School District 86 teacher Michael Kazecki, 38. The veteran teacher at Washington Junior High School has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 7 death of his wife, Becky, also a teacher in District 86.

The Joliet Police Department interviewed the husband, who initially told detectives that his wife may have suffered from alcohol poisoning, according to the police. Becky Kazecki was found unresponsive inside the family's home in the 700 block of McDonough Street. Last month, an ambulance rushed her to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center, where she later died.

Judge Rippy's gag order, signed on Wednesday, states that "on the court's own motion, based on the high-profile status of this case and prior media coverage, a gag order is imposed on all parties to this case. Except as to matters of public record."

Rippy issued the order less than a week after coverage in the Joliet Patch, The Joliet Herald-News and The Chicago Tribune revealed that the murder defendant was no longer in the Will County jail.

That article drew attention to Rippy's colleague, Associate Judge Ben Braun, who was responsible for setting the bail for the murder defendant, a bail amount much lower than prosecutors had sought.

On Aug. 8, Judge Braun heard arguments from Kazecki's private counsel, Nathaniel Tate of the Edward Jaquays Law Firm in Joliet, and from the Will County State's Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors asked Judge Braun to set bail at $5 million, given the serious nature of the criminal charges. Michael Kazecki is accused of beating his wife to death over the course of three days, Aug. 4 to 6. Assistant Will County State's Attorney Jim Long told the judge that Michael Kazecki had been disciplining the oldest of the couple's three children and that when his wife intervened, he began beating her.

After hearing arguments, Judge Braun set the murder defendant's bail at $2 million.

Then on Aug. 30, Kazecki was let out of the Will County at 8:50 p.m. after one of his family members posted $200,000, court documents show.

As for Kazecki, he continues to collect his regular paycheck from Joliet public schools while he faces multiple counts of murder. The school district told Patch last week that he has been placed on paid leave while his criminal case is pending at the Will County Courthouse.

As for Braun, he is running for election in November against David Garcia, another associate judge, to fill one of Will County's open circuit court judges.

Mugshot of Michael Kazecki via Will County Sheriff