Sentence For Joliet Killer Leaves Bretz Pleased With Outcome

JOLIET, IL — During the early morning hours of Dec. 23, 2018, 19-year-old Jermaine Peete was fatally shot in the head on Joliet's east side by Daniel Briceno. On Thursday, Briceno pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of second-degree murder. He was then sentenced to 13 years of imprisonment at the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The sentencing took place in Courtroom 503 of Will County Judge Carmen Goodman.

"It's a tragedy that a young man lost his life," remarked Briceno's lawyer, Chuck Bretz of the downtown Joliet law firm, Bretz, Flynn & Associates.

Bretz said the 13-year prison sentence was fair. He said he was pleased that the Will County State's Attorney's Office agreed to dismiss several first-degree murder charges against Briceno as part of the plea agreement.

Joliet Patch has reached out to the Office of Will County State's Attorney Jim Glasgow for reaction to the plea and sentencing.

Briceno, who turns 21 in April, has remained in the Will County Jail since Joliet police detectives arrested him several hours after the deadly shooting on Dec. 23, 2018.

Bretz told Joliet Patch on Friday that his client "believed he was defending himself and his home" but "he acted prematurely."

According to Bretz, Peete had been texting one of Briceno's family members and Briceno got involved, and he began to exchange text messages with Peete.

At one point, Peete threatened to harm Briceno, and Peete warned him that he was coming to his house in the 600 block of Dover Street. Briceno urged Peete not to come over his house, but Peete drove over anyway, the Joliet defense attorney said.

As soon as Peete pulled up to Briceno's house, along with a 22-year-old man in his car, Briceno went outside and began shooting. Peete was fatally shot in the head while the other man suffered a graze wound.

Bretz said it's unfortunate that Peete took the actions that he did, which cost him his life.

At the same time, Bretz said his client acted prematurely by firing his gun at Peete as soon as Peete pulled up in his car on Dover Street. At that point, the 18-year-old Briceno did not have reasonable grounds to defend himself, according to Bretz.

Will County court records indicate that Briceno will get credit for 783 days of time served at the Will County Jail. The remainder of his 13-year prison sentence will be served at 50 percent, Bretz said.

According to Peete's obituary that was handled by the Minor-Morris Funeral Home: "Jermaine graduated from Joliet Township High School in May 2018. He loved being a father to his one and only child, J.J.; loved playing basketball, wrestling, boxing, and spending time with family and friends. Jermaine was a part of the Joliet Community Action Network male mentoring program with his grandmother and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity."