Judge Grants Pretrial Release to Wilmington Man Charged With Hate Crime

Wilmington Man Charged With Hate Crime Released Pretrial Over Prosecutors’ Objections

A Will County judge has allowed the pretrial release of 42-year-old Chad M. Glover of Wilmington, who faces felony hate crime and intimidation charges following a July 14 confrontation, shawlocal.com reported. Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak denied a petition from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office to keep Glover detained under the SAFE-T Act.

On Oct. 22, prosecutors formally charged Glover with felony hate crime and intimidation, alongside a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. The charges stem from a summer afternoon when Will County sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported disturbance involving an ATV.

The Confrontation on July 14

According to prosecutors, a man wearing a turban and a woman wearing a burqa were attempting to enter a residence but struggled with a lockbox. Glover allegedly rode up on an ATV and told them, I don’t want you here, you are not welcome here, I will kill you.

Judge Grants Pretrial Release to Wilmington Man Charged With Hate Crime — Photo: cair.com

Court documents state that Glover reached behind his back as if holding a firearm, threatening to return and shoot them. Deputies confirmed no firearm was displayed during the encounter. Prosecutors noted that Glover did return shortly afterward, repeating death threats and shouting that he did not want Muslims or “Sharia Law” in the neighborhood.

While deputies investigated the scene, another neighborhood resident spoke with law enforcement to apologize for Glover’s actions, stating that the community did not share those views, according to prosecutors.

Defense Attorney Argues for Release While Civil Rights Advocates Criticize Ruling

Glover’s defense attorney, Steven Haney, argued in a motion that his client possesses no significant criminal history and voluntarily surrendered to the court’s jurisdiction. Haney also emphasized that incarcerating Glover would cause him to lose his job, and contended that non-financial conditions of release would suffice to protect public safety.

The decision drew sharp criticism from civil rights advocates. The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) publicly decried the ruling. Jordan Esparza-Kelley, Communications Coordinator for CAIR-Chicago, pointed out that Judge Bertani-Tomczak had previously presided over the Wadee Alfayoumi case, arguing that the court should recognize the lethal potential of such rhetoric.

“Threatening community members with lethal violence and Islamophobic vitriol is a direct assault on the safety and security of minority communities,” said Jordan Esparza-Kelley, Communications Coordinator for CAIR-Chicago. “This is a terribly irresponsible decision made by Judge Bertani-Tomczak.”

Ahmed Rehab, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director, questioned the efficacy of recent felony hate crime charges filed across the region if courts ultimately permit pretrial release in cases involving explicit death threats. CAIR-Chicago stated it continues to monitor the proceedings as the case moves forward in Will County court.