CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi-based attorney Bob Hilliard, with Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP, along with well-known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, have been retained by the family of Earl Moore Jr. Officials said Moore, 35, died due to the way he was treated by paramedics during a medical emergency in Springfield, Illinois.
Hilliard and Crump are set to announce a wrongful death lawsuit "in response to the negligent actions" that led to Moore's death.
Our sister station WQAD reports that two EMS workers, Peggy Finley and Peter Cadigan, have been charged with first degree murder related to Moore's death after law enforcement said they strapped him to a stretcher face down. Moore later died at a hospital of asphyxia, officials said.
“The treatment of Earl Moore, during a clear medical emergency, is heartbreaking to witness. He was clearly a man in need," said Hilliard. "As humans, we trust and believe that first responders, such as EMS workers, will provide medical assistance along with compassion and care. Mr. Moore received none of that and, ultimately lost his life because of their lack of duty to care."
In newly released bodycam footage, police responded to a call from a neighbor of Moore on Dec. 18. Moore was at the neighbor's house and said Moore was possibly having hallucinations from alcohol withdrawal.
Police tried talking with Moore before requesting EMS assistance. Later, EMS workers Finley and Cadigan arrived to provide assistance.
In the video, Finley can be heard yelling at the patient to "sit up" and "quit acting stupid." Later she says, "I am seriously not in the mood for this dumb [s---]."
Cadigan is seen handling Moore roughly as he's placed on a stretcher face-down and strapped down. Police said Moore died after arriving at the hospital, but the autopsy said his death by asphyxia was directly linked to being placed in the face-down position.
If Finley and Cadigan are found guilty of first-degree murder, they could serve up to 60 years in prison.
WQAD Multi-skilled Journalist Jonathan Fong contributed to this report.
