Appeals court allows Peoria murder suspect to plead for release in court again

SPRINGFIELD (25News Now) – A Peoria woman charged with first-degree murder will be allowed to argue again in court that she should be released from prison before her trial.

Judges in the Fourth District Court of Appeals in Springfield found that trial court Judge John Vespa failed to adequately explain his reasons for detaining Cathy Logan.

Logan, 54, is accused of killing 26-year-old Tanazisha Green, who was stabbed in the chest in the 1000 block of South Western Avenue on August 10, 2023.

The lack of information provided by Vespa prevented the appeals court from conducting a “meaningful review” of the case, according to a 10-page ruling dated September 24.

The murder charge was filed before Illinois abolished cash bail. Bail was set at $1 million, meaning she could be released after posting $100,000 in cash. However, Logan's attorney requested a detention hearing this spring. Logan said her release would allow her to care for her granddaughter, of whom she had custody, and get treatment for an eye injury she wouldn't get in prison.

Logan also claimed that she was not a flight risk, despite missing several court dates in other cases.

The High Court found that Vespa's written arrest warrant “does not contain any specific findings, but instead expressly refers to the decision 'taken on record.'”

The judges continued:

“A review of the record shows that the court did not provide sufficient detail on the reasons for its decision to deny the defendant pre-trial release. The court was asked whether it wished to consider information that [the] Background of the defendant. In such a serious case, we find it concerning that the court responded “no, thank you.” In particular, the court did not address less stringent conditions of release (including GPS monitoring and further restrictions on movement suggested by the defendant) and did not provide any findings to support its conclusion that “no less stringent conditions” were possible.”

Online records show no date has been set for a new detention hearing in Peoria District Court. Logan's trial is scheduled for Nov. 12.

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