An Illinois emergency medical technician who admitted to strapping a patient face-down on a gurney until he suffocated to death will serve no prison time. Peter Cadigan, 53, received two years’ probation after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the 2022 death of Earl Moore Jr., 35.
Cadigan and fellow EMT Peggy Finley, 48, were initially charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors said they restrained Moore in a prone position during transport, causing him to asphyxiate. The Sangamon County case drew national attention as another example of deadly force used against a patient in medical custody.
How a Murder Charge Became Probation
The sentencing hearing on June 23 marked the conclusion of a case that began with far more serious charges. Prosecutors originally accused both EMTs of first-degree murder, which in Illinois carries a potential sentence of 20 to 60 years in prison. Cadigan’s plea agreement reduced that to involuntary manslaughter, and the judge imposed only probation — meaning Cadigan walked out of court a free man.
The 2022 incident occurred while Moore was being transported by ambulance. According to charging documents, Cadigan and Finley strapped the 35-year-old patient face-down to the gurney, a restraint position known to cause positional asphyxiation. Moore died during transport.
Pattern of Prone Restraint Deaths
Medical and law enforcement experts have warned for decades that prone restraint — holding someone face-down — restricts breathing and can be fatal. Despite these warnings, such deaths continue to occur in police custody, medical transport, and psychiatric facilities across the country. Moore’s family has not yet commented publicly on Cadigan’s sentence.
The status of charges against Finley remains unclear from available court records. Cadigan’s probationary sentence means he will face supervised release and potential conditions set by the court, but no incarceration for causing a patient’s death while acting in his capacity as a medical professional. The case raises questions about accountability when those tasked with saving lives instead take them.
Key Points
- Illinois EMT Peter Cadigan received only probation after admitting he strapped patient Earl Moore Jr. face-down on a gurney until he suffocated in 2022
- Original first-degree murder charges were reduced to involuntary manslaughter through a plea agreement
- The case follows a nationwide pattern of deaths from prone restraint despite decades of expert warnings about the practice
https://lawandcrime.com/crime/emt-who-strapped-patient-face-down-on-gurney-until-he-died-of-asphyxiation-will-serve-no-jail-time/ – June 24, 2026
