Bond reduced for Joliet man charged with yelling homophobic slurs, punching man

A $125,000 bond was lowered to $30,000 for a Joliet man facing felony charges after he was accused of yelling homophobic slurs at a bartender and punching a customer who tried to intervene.

On Wednesday, Judge Dave Carlson granted a motion from attorney Cosmo Tedone to lower the bond for his client Jerry Patton, 35, of Joliet, who’s charged with felony aggravated battery and misdemeanor disorderly conduct after an investigation of a July 16 incident at City Tavern, 1329 W. Jefferson St., Joliet.

Prosecutors had objected to a lower bond for Patton when he went to court Wednesday to surrender himself on the warrant for his arrest.

After Patton’s new bond was set, he was booked into the Will County jail about 10 a.m. and then released about 7:20 p.m. after posting 10% of his $30,000 bond.

In a motion, Tedone called the $125,000 bond set by Judge Victoria Breslan “oppressive and not considerate of the financial ability of the defendant,” adding that it violates the Illinois Constitution. Tedone also argued the bond was “excessive” under the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The incident that led to Patton’s charges began at 2:43 a.m. July 16, when officers responded to a report of a fight at City Tavern, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

When officers arrived, they determined a male customer refused to leave after he began to yell homophobic slurs at a female bartender, English said.

Another male customer approached the man and told him to leave, English said. The man who yelled the slurs had punched the male customer, causing him to fall to the floor, English said.

The suspect then fled the area in a vehicle, English said.

The male customer who was punched suffered injuries to his face but refused medical assistance, English said.

Police detectives investigating the incident were able to identify Patton as the suspect.

A criminal complaint alleged that Patton had “knowingly made statements” regarding the female bartender’s sexuality and “threatened physical harm” in such an unreasonable manner as to alarm and disturb her, as well as to provoke a breach of peace.