Killing of Earl Moore Jr.

On the morning of December 18, 2022, police responded to a call at Moore's residence in Springfield, Illinois, after a report that several people inside were in possession of firearms. Upon arrival, officers found Moore in medical distress after detoxing and, recognizing his need for assistance, called for an ambulance. EMT Peter Cadigan and Paramedic Peggy Finley subsequently arrived; during their interaction, Finley is heard yelling at Moore to “sit up” and “quit acting stupid.” Moore, who was unable to walk, was carried to the ambulance by police after he was refused assistance by Cadigan and Finley. The EMTs then placed him on a stretcher in a prone position and secured him with tightened straps prior to transport. Moore was taken to the hospital, where he later died.^[3]

An autopsy ruled Moore's death a homicide, determining that it was caused by a "prone face‐down restraint on a EMS transportation cot/stretcher by tightened straps across the back."^[4]

Both Cadigan and Finley were charged with first‑degree murder in connection with Earl Moore Jr.'s death, and they are facing sentences of 20 to 60 years.^[5][6]

On June 16, 2023, around 8 p.m., Finley was released on bond after a Fourth District Appellate Court ruling reduced her cash bond from $1 million to $600,000. Her attorneys, W. Scott Hanken and Mark Wykoff, described the decision as a "game changer" for her defense, although she is prohibited from working as a paramedic as a condition of her release.^[7]

Additionally, Cadigan secured pre‑trial release on October 30, 2023, after his attorney, Justin Kuehn, successfully filed a motion for reconsideration under the Pretrial Fairness Act—a measure designed to eliminate cash bail—with Circuit Judge Robin Schmidt ultimately ordering his release.^[8]

As of February 2025, the criminal trial for both defendants remains ongoing.

Additionally, Moore's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the paramedics involved, as well as LifeStar Ambulance Services. They are represented by Ben Crump and Robert C. Hilliard.^[9]