Illinois EMS workers accused of Earl Moore's murder appear in court

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two EMS workers accused of killing an Illinois man by strapping him tightly against a stretcher appeared in court Thursday, as preliminary hearings began in a case that has gained national attention.

Peter J. Cadigan, 50, and Peggy J. Finley, 44, both of Springfield, appeared before Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow to confirm a preliminary hearing for each would be held Friday. Cadigan and Finley were first in court Jan. 10 when a $1 million bail was set for each.

The two are accused of killing Earl Moore, Jr., 35, of Springfield on Dec. 18 by strapping him tightly and face down on a stretcher, causing "compression and positional asphyxia," according to Dr. John Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist from Bloomington.

As Cadigan and Finley were in court Thursday, Moore's family announced they filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Sangamon County court, with civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing the estate. Cadigan, Finley, and LifeStar Ambulance Services, Inc. were listed as defendants in the lawsuit.

At a press conference at the NAACP building in Springfield, Crump called Moore's case "unlike any case in America." Robert Hilliard, another attorney on the civil lawsuit, did not specify an amount of damages the family is seeking.

According to Springfield Police, officers called an ambulance to Moore's residence early on the morning of Dec. 18. After initially receiving a call about multiple subjects at the residence with guns, three police officers found Moore was in medical distress after detoxing for several days.

Video captured by police body cameras showed Finley and Cadigan strapping Moore faced down onto a stretcher. He was pronounced dead at a hospital more than an hour after the incident.

Prosecutors charged Cadigan and Finley with one count of first-degree murder.

According to the criminal complaints filed by Sangamon County state's attorney Dan Wright, Finley and Cadigan should have known that "based upon their training, experience and the surrounding circumstances, that such acts would create a substantial probability of great bodily harm or death."

Finley has worked as a paramedic in the Springfield area for four years. She has four children and six grandchildren.

Cadigan, a father of two children, has worked as an EMT for over 25 years.

Attorneys for both Cadigan and Finley said the body-camera video captured by Springfield police officers did not show their clients committed any wrongdoing.

"In this case, I can't see what crime was committed," said Edward Unsell, Cadigan's attorney. "He's charged with first-degree murder. I certainly don't remotely believe that he committed first-degree murder, but I can't envision what crime he committed. I want them to articulate it."

Finley's attorney, W. Scott Hanken, said that while Finley's conduct could be considered negligent, he didn't believe it reached the level of first-degree murder.

"I think for them to charge them with first-degree murder is a huge leap," Hanken said. "They're trying to turn negligent conduct into criminal conduct. Quite simply, what occurred does not rise to the level of first-degree murder as they have charged it."

Cadigan and the former ambulance service he worked for, MedicsFirst, Inc., were subjects of a 2010 wrongful death lawsuit.

On April 19, 2008, Cadigan struck and killed 7-year-old Truvonte Edwards, who was riding his bike. Edwards died at a hospital the next day.

Edwards' mother, Brandy Houston, and father, Matthew Edwards, filed the lawsuit, but a court ruled in 2014 that Cadigan was not culpable for failing to stop in time. A three-judge panel affirmed the decision.

No charges were ever filed against Cadigan in Edwards' death.

Moore was a manager at McDonald's for more than 15 years, according to his cousin, Aaron Cutler, though he worked there even longer. Cutler and his wife lived with Moore at the time of his death.

Moore was a Lanphier High School graduate. He is survived by his mother, Rosena Washington; and sisters Chatara Moore, Mahogany Moore, Shikira Brooks and Ciara Brooks, all of Springfield.

Crump on Thursday said he wanted to make sure Moore's family got "whole justice," including "criminal culpability and civil accountability."

Crump has represented families of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Ahmaud Arbery and others in high-profile civil rights cases.

Crump said Finley and Cadigan offered Moore "no consideration ... no professionalism, no humanity."

Hilliard, the attorney joining Crump in the lawsuit, said Moore slowly suffocated after being strapped to the gurney. He compared the asphyxia Moore suffered from to "being buried alive."