I do not think Patrick Jane is Red John. BUT I do think that the writers have tried to point some evidence towards him being RJ just to manipulate the viewer. And they have succeeded, obviously.

The reason why I believe that in the end Jane is not going to be revealed to be RJ is simply because it's a tv show, not a (M.Night Shyamalan :p ) movie. That means that there's way too much material to cover at the end, when trying to tie all the knots together and prove that RJ and PJ are one and same person. To satisfy the hard-core vigilant fans, they would have to pretty much reshoot every scene in the series where PJ and RJ are interacting with one another, or where RJ's accomplices act nonchalant to PJ's presence to explain what has actually happened, and why they are acting like they are. And that would make the story line and ending way too messy and over-blown to be good tv. In a movie this would naturally work, because there'd be way less material  to cover in the ending revelation.

Another reason why I think PJ is not going to be revealed to be RJ is, that I think the Mentalist is  a classical "Superhero" story where Patrick Jane is the hero and Red John is the nemesis. Sort of like a Batman and Joker kind of a scenario. The story is enjoyable because it shows a hero "good" character slowly descending in to acts that are nearly equally evil as the nemesis' acts, in the name of catching the "bad" guy. I think this story line works better with the series.

I also believe that Patrick Jane does know Red John personally or at least knows something about Red John that he's not aware of. I think he's under hypnosis, and I think the mental institution where he was is the place where he first met RJ personally/was hypnotized. As PJ's IMDB Trivia page says, all the close-up scenes with PJ show his pupils dialated, which supports the theory of him being under hypnosis.

I do think that the creators have been toying with the idea of PJ being RJ, and in a way that would make a clever plot twist, though hard to execute. That would also explain why the RJ smiley face looks like PJ (c'mon, it does, doesn't it?). But I think it's more plausible that PJ is, without being aware of it himself, somehow helping RJ or feeding him information/being in close contact with him. And I think Lisbon is going to play a role shaking him out of the hypnosis (or whatever) in the end.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

  Okay i'm going to rewrite this better i was in a rush last time , In episode 15 on Season 5 with Brett Partridge the first scene right after Patrick looks in the fire place he walks past Cho with his back too Partridge and Cho watch Partridge he looks at Jane and whispers something i can't tell what he is saying. Some watch this and let me  know what you think 

              http://www.putlocker.com/file/B03956931605A3D3#

Everyone i think i jjust seen something s5e15 with Brett the 1st part when patrick walk behind him then past cho it looks at brett said something to him by quitly mocking him or something some else look then reply please?

I perceive Red John as a subtle, calm, patient, cautious man, and maniac in the way that detail is very important to him.
I would be disappointed in finding out that Partridge is in fact RJ, because he's seems to be a simple-minded fellow. And the way he jumped in to defend the killer when Jane said it clearly couldn't have been RJ proves to me that he is an unlikely candidate.
Mashburn... eh. No. Why would two women of the show be sleeping with RJ and his affiliates?
Bret Stiles? Doesn't seem likely to me. I can't defend myself on this point, but it wouldn't surprise us enough, I think.
"Hiding in plain sight", I interpret it more like this - we see him, someone may have already spoken to him a few times, but I don't think he's been major and present all along.
But that's just my theory, I'll remain humble.

I think that the writers wouldn't give us any thing that leads to red john identity.
i have a hunch.. a strong hunch that red john works for kristina frye.
I'm not counting on logical stuff of course, but there's a few like how could red john know about "Roll tide" and the fact that she knows a lot off things without being really a psychic, pretending to be dead inside when they found her and stuff.. 
the "red john person" is probably one of the seven suspects they will tell us about.  

of course it's just a hunch but i posted it so that if it was true.. i've already figure it out :3 
"sorry for bad grammar"     

* I would love for RJ to be connected to Jane past somehow, not saying I want it to be his dad or some secret long lost brother?? i think perosnally that's going too far even for this show but maybe connect to his past, or the carnival days or his fake psychic days

This isn't really a guess on who RJ is at this point with what we know about him but more my views on the whole RJ thing and i thought i'd share them, i don't expect you to agree or disagree but just want to get it off my chest after 5 seasons... 

who RJ is? tbh, there is alot of poss's but all of them with questionable doubts...such as too old, not taller enough, too young, not charming enough etc the list goes on & on...

* If Rj turns out to be a group of killers calling themselves RJ then I will be a little disappointed as the last 4 seasons have shown us that RJ has a personal game going on with Jane & I quite like that aspect of the show it makes me belive in what Jane is trying to do more & achieve if it's that not a group of psychos out to get him.

* I don't believe RJ is a woman, all Rj minions refer to him as a he or him.  I also believe he has to be a man to charm all these women into his life (Roaslind, Rebecca, Lorelei).  I do believe that will be a woman working for RJ thou, maybe Grace or that Brenda woman, or maybe even that Kristine Fry woman was too, I never like her & felt she was so dodgy but I know it's along shot.  I do NOT BELIEVE TL is RJ or working for him.  She is the good balance in this show, she is the light to Janes dark.  A show like this needs her character and after all the stuff she has been thru & put up with for Jane, that's not evil thats love!

* I don't think Kirkland is RJ either or even working for him.  Not to say he ain't dodgy because he clearly is! but I slightly agree with the theory he is somehow connected to Lorelei/sister somehow or that he believes that Jane is actually RJ just like FBI Agent Darcy did. But i'm not really sure on this guy if im honest or what he angle is at the mo...but that's views for now.

* If Jane turns out to be RJ then I will be sooo angry & will prob write to Bruno Heller & ask for my money back on the dvd box set, that would truly be a rubbish conclusion to the show & I would hope that the writers would be more original than that idea, it has already been done in fight club & would hope they wouldn't copy others idea.  Also if they Kill Jane off that will also be a rubbish conclusion & would show RJ won in the end!  Jane is suppose to a very highly inteliigent guy who can outsmart 99% of people & so want to see a very clever way of how Jane kills & get RJ in the end. Not his death...

* I really really hope the season finale is good & we get to see Janes 7 Suspect list... my guess is Brett Stiles, Partridge, Mashburn, Haffner, Kirkland for starts...

so that's my views on it, just needed to share after 5 series of keeping it all bottled in.  If i had to take a guess at who RJ, had too i would say either Walter Mashburn ( seems bit obvious to me but he is rich powerful ladies man connected & he slept with TL just add salt to Janes open cut) or that Max Winter guy (he was very simular to Jane in how he sat, acted, gentleman like & his own revenge quest for his murdered wife? plus his gun as a gift to Jane it all seemed to be too much of a concidence & as Patrick Jane always says there are no concidences....

Rj....???????????????????????