Judge allows pretrial release for Illinois man accused of threatening Muslims

A Will County judge allowed the pretrial release of Chad M. Glover, 42, of Wilmington, Illinois, who faces hate-crime, intimidation and disorderly-conduct charges over alleged threats against Muslims, Shaw Local reported on November 2. Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak denied prosecutors' petition to keep him jailed.

Prosecutors alleged that during a July 14 incident, Glover approached a man wearing a turban and a woman wearing a burqa as they tried to enter a residence, threatened to kill them and said he did not want Muslims or Sharia law in his neighborhood. They said he reached behind his back as if he had a gun, but no firearm was displayed. Charges were filed on October 22.

Glover's lawyer, Steven Haney, argued in a motion that his client had no significant criminal history, voluntarily submitted to the court's jurisdiction and risked losing his job if unable to return to work. Haney said conditions other than incarceration could ensure public safety.