Confession problematic for defense

MADISON, WIS. — Defense attorneys for the man accused of kidnapping a Wisconsin teenager and killing her parents acknowledged Wednesday that they’re starting the case at a disadvantage after their client gave detectives a detailed confession and said they’re not sure he can get a fair trial in the state.

According to a criminal complaint, 21-year-old Jake Patterson outlined in detail for detectives how he gunned down 13-yearold Jayme Closs’ parents Oct. 15 in their home near Barron and abducted the girl. Jayme escaped last week from the remote cabin where Patterson had been hiding her. Patterson was arrested minutes later, and he was charged Monday with two counts of homicide and kidnapping.

Charlie Glynn and Richard Jones, Patterson’s public defenders, told The Associated Press that they face an uphill struggle. Glynn acknowledged that the complaint contains “a very thorough confession.”

“Yes, it looks like you start out behind the eight ball a little bit,” Glynn said.

Jones said the defense team will evaluate Patterson’s statements to determine whether they were given voluntarily and if they’re true. He cautioned that prosecutors have amassed 30 banker’s boxes full of evidence, but that the defense likely won’t receive any of it, let alone review it, until after Patterson’s Feb. 6 preliminary hearing.

Terry Sullivan, a Chicago attorney who prosecuted the John Wayne Gacy killings, said he wouldn’t have included so many details in the Patterson complaint.