McLean County hires veteran prosecutor to try pending murder cases

Posted on May 26, 2020
Tammy Wagoner is the Democratic candidate in the November election for Macon County State’s Attorney. (Facebook/Wagoner for State’s Attorney)

 

By HOI ABC

BLOOMINGTON – A Central Illinois prosecutor, who’s tried 15 murder cases in her career, is helping reduce the backlog of pending McLean County murder cases.

The McLean County Board earlier this year agreed to pay Tammy Wagoner $4,000 a month. She’s the Democratic candidate in the November election for Macon County State’s Attorney. Wagoner served 16 years as a prosecutor in that office and two years as an assistant state’s attorney in Piatt County.

According to our news partner HOI ABC, McLean County State’s Attorney Don Knapp, who’s a Republican, said the county is getting a good deal, given her experience. Also, the county will wind up paying less for Wagoner’s work compared to $35,000 paid to a private attorney who served as public defender in just one murder case, according to Knapp.

In her first McLean County murder trial, scheduled to start June 8, Wagoner is the lead prosecutor in the case of Leila Jackson, who’s charged with the fatal stabbing of Quantez Brown, 24, in July of 2018. Jackson claims she acted in self defense.

Wagoner is also leading the prosecution of two Decatur men charged with shooting-to-death Egerton Dover, 20, at Dover’s Bloomington home in December of 2018. The trial of defendants Anthony Grampsas and Tyjuan Bruce is scheduled for July 13.

WJBC News can be reached at [email protected]

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