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Illinois Supreme Court weighs admissibility of ‘reenactment’ in murder case – IPM Newsroom

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2 years ago

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Illinois Supreme Court weighs admissibility of ‘reenactment’ in murder case – IPM Newsroom


In October 2019, Jessica Logan’s 19-month-old son died.

Less than two weeks later, police and an investigator from the state’s Department of Child and Family Services met Logan at her Decatur home and gave her a “toddler size mannequin” before telling her to reenact finding the lifeless body of her son in his bed.

The video of that reenactment – which Logan’s lawyers maintain she was coerced into performing – was then used as a key piece of evidence in Logan’s 2021 conviction on first-degree murder charges. Logan was later sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Now, Logan is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to step in and grant her a new trial. She claims the use of that reenactment video violated her constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments.

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Without that evidence, Logan’s attorney argued to the high court on Tuesday, the case might have been decided differently.

“The state was telling the jury, ‘You… can convict on inadmissible evidence alone,’” Illinois Assistant Appellate Defender Gilbert Lenz said in court. “It’s hard to imagine a more prejudicial evidentiary error.”

In addition to arguing on constitutional grounds, Lenz told the court that the video’s inclusion in Logan’s trial was unfair because Logan was never read her Miranda rights – a warning that anything she said could be used in court and that she had the right to a lawyer.

If the court agrees the reenactment video was inadmissible at trial, Lenz claims other key pieces of evidence would also be tainted as “fruit of the poisonous tree.”

This would include the testimony from Dr. Scott Denton, a forensic pathologist who told the jury that Logan’s son’s “only possible cause of death was smothering,” according to court filings.

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But Denton made that claim after viewing the reenactment video, something Lenz argued should have disqualified it as evidence in the case. This would limit Denton’s testimony only to what he knew before viewing the video.

“At a fair trial, at a new trial, [Denton] would tell the jury ‘At the autopsy I did not know how this child died. It was asphyxiation but I don’t know whether it was a homicide, I don’t know whether it was an accident,’” Lenz argued. “The implications for the state’s ability to prove its case when the doctor testifies to that in a murder case are obvious.”

On the other side, the state focused on what constitutes coercion, arguing that the reenactment did not qualify as investigators improperly taking Logan into custody.

Much of this came down to what was meant – and understood – when a DCFS investigator told Logan “we need to do a reenactment.”

Assistant Attorney General Josh Schneider, who argued the case on behalf of the state, said the word “need” did not stop Logan from refusing to participate.

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While the justices betrayed little as to how they would rule in the case, they did question Schneider about the nature of the reenactment, probing to find the limits on what constitutes an involuntary action.

“Knowing that she had another child in the home and whatever DCFS decided would impact whether she got to keep that child, wouldn’t and couldn’t she have reasonably understood that to mean that ‘I have to participate in this?’” asked Justice Joy Cunningham.

Justice P. Scott Neville also prodded this, asking about the nature of being alone with a state investigator and two police officers at the scene of the alleged crime.

“You don’t think that might be considered coercive by someone who’s never been involved in the criminal justice system?” Neville asked.

While Schneider pushed back on those questions, he also argued that in order for a situation to count as “custody” for the sake of a Miranda warning, someone must have their movement restricted and be in a coercive atmosphere.

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“No one ever told her she wasn’t free to leave, no one ever physically restrained her, no one ever displayed a weapon or a use of force, no one ever invoked their authority to tell her that she had to stay,” Schneider told the court. “She never indicated she wanted to leave. And at the end, she in fact did leave without any obstruction from law enforcement.”

In addition to arguing that the evidence was admissible, Schneider said that the lower courts did not make a mistake that would warrant a retrial.

“Here there was ample evidence – really, overwhelming evidence – that the defendant was guilty of the homicide in this case,” Schneider said.

He cited a financial motive – a $25,000 life insurance policy and Logan’s financial issues – and circumstantial evidence of Logan Googling “how do you suffocate” prior to her son’s death.

The justices will now consider the case, although there is no set timeline on when they might issue a final opinion.

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While the high court could take the case in several directions, Logan’s legal team requested a new trial. The state has asked that the conviction – and the existing evidence – be allowed to stand.

In addition to the legal issues surrounding the reenactment video, Logan’s case garnered national attention for the state’s use of a controversial forensic method called 911 call analysis – where so-called experts analyze the guilt of a 911 caller based on what they said and how they said it. In late 2022, ProPublica published an investigation into the use of that method in this case, calling it “junk science” and noting that the detective in Logan’s case used the fact that Logan – through tears – said “I need my baby” instead of directly asking for help as evidence of her guilt.

The non-profit news organization reports that in the time since its initial investigation, North Carolina’s Office of Indigent Defense Services as well as groups like Fair and Just Prosecutors and the Innocence Project have all raised concerns about the practice.

Editor’s Note: Capitol News Illinois is a partner with ProPublica and shares reporting resources. ProPublica did not contribute to this story.

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Illinois

Montana State wins the 2025-26 FCS football National Championship in overtime thriller

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11 hours ago

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January 6, 2026

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Montana State wins the 2025-26 FCS football National Championship in overtime thriller


The drought is over! We repeat, the drought is over! Montana State has won the FCS Championship for the first time since 1984, breaking a 41-year drought.

The Bobcats won the 2025-26 FCS Championship with a 35-34 win over Illinois State in overtime, holding off the Redbirds in the an overtime classic.

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Walk-off overtime TD on 4th down to clinch 2026 FCS Championship

After Illinois State scored two fourth quarter touchdowns, the Redbirds had a shot at a game-winning field goal with just over one minute to play. That’s when the kick was blocked! The game proceeded to overtime.

In overtime, Illinois State got the ball first and scored a touchdown to take the lead. That’s when the extra-point try was blocked as special teams miscues proved costly for Illinois State.

However, Montana State still had to respond with a touchdown of their own. Facing 4th-and-10, quarterback Justin Lamson hit wide receiver Taco Dowler for the game-tying score. To win the game, Colby Frokjer knocked in the game-winning PAT.

The game-winning touchdown earned Lamson Most Outstanding Player honors. He completed 67 percent of his passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for 30 yards and two scores.

It’s the first championship of the Brent Vigen era in Bozeman as the head coach lifts the trophy for the first in his third championship game appearance. The win is also the Big Sky’s first over the MVFC in a championship game, bringing the all time record to 4-1.

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Full finish: CHAOTIC Q4 ending, FIRST-EVER FCS title game overtime





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Illinois

‘Very high’ levels of flu cases reported in Illinois amid ‘significant winter surge’

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23 hours ago

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January 5, 2026

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‘Very high’ levels of flu cases reported in Illinois amid ‘significant winter surge’


What to Know

  • -Children between the ages of 5-17 are seeing the highest impact in the surge in cases in Illinois
  • -COVID cases are also on the rise, with “moderate” levels reported by the CDC
  • -Illinois health officials say just 22% of the state’s residents have received flu immunizations, while 6.8% have received COVID vaccine boosters

Hospital admissions and positive tests for influenza are soaring in Illinois, prompting warnings and concerns from health officials.

According to an update Monday from the Illinois Department of Public Health, flu activity in the state has climbed to “very high” levels in recent days, the most severe of five categories of respiratory illness activity used by the CDC.

Data available via the IDPH’s Seasonal Respiratory Illness Dashboard shows that more than 19% of emergency room visits in Illinois during the last reporting period were due to acute respiratory illness, with more than 18% of hospital admissions attributed to those illnesses.

Acute respiratory illnesses include the flu as well as COVID-19 and RSV, according to officials.

COVID-19 rates are also on the rise, increasing to “moderate” levels in the state according to the CDC.

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The CDC uses wastewater monitoring to help detect viruses infecting people in a community, according to its website.

The bulk of hospital admissions and ER visits associated with respiratory illnesses were made because of flu symptoms, according to officials.

Health officials in Illinois are warning of a new and unexpected mutation that could make for a “more serious flu season.” Natalie Martinez has more.

Data shows that the spike in illnesses is having a serious impact on those residents under the age of 18. Children between the ages of 5 and 17 are most impacted by hospital admissions related to acute respiratory illnesses and the flu, while residents over the age of 65 are most impacted by COVID-19.

In the press release, Illinois also reported its first influenza death in a child this season.

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“Illinois is facing a significant winter surge in seasonal respiratory illnesses with flu activity at very high levels,” Dr. Sameer Vohra, IDPH director, said. “Vaccinations remain the most effective tool to prevent severe illness from flu, COVID-19 and RSV.”

That push for vaccinations comes as approximately 22% of state residents have received flu shots, according to Illinois health officials. Even though flu season peaks in January and February, officials caution that it can last into May, making vaccination a smart strategy in containing spread of the illness.

In addition to vaccines, washing hands frequently is critical to preventing spread of the illness, as is covering coughs and sneezes, and wearing a mask when ill.

Antiviral treatments can also minimize symptoms and speed up recovery, but must be sought in the early stages of the illness to be effective, officials warn.

More information can be found on IDPH’s website.

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Illinois

Former Michigan State QB Katin Houser lands at new Big Ten program

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1 day ago

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January 5, 2026

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Former Michigan State QB Katin Houser lands at new Big Ten program


ECU Pirates quarterback Katin Houser has committed to transfer to the Illinois Fighting Illini per On3’s Hayes Fawcett. He previously played for the Michigan State Spartans.

Katin Houser played his high school football at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California. There, he was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022. Houser had been the 210th-ranked player nationally and the 13th-ranked quarterback in that recruiting cycle. He’d initially attend Michigan State, choosing the Spartans over several Power Four options.

In 2022, Houser’s first year with Michigan State, he would appear in two games and utilize his redshirt. That’s before he played in 11 games during the 2023 season, before transferring out alongside a coaching change at Michigan State. In the end, he landed at ECU.

Houser has spent the last two seasons at ECU. While there, he would play in 21 games over two seasons. In both of those years, Houser would help lead the Pirates to bowl wins. It was the first back-to-back bowl wins for the program since the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

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Individually, Houser has found plenty of success too. In 2025 alone, Houser completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns. That was against six interceptions. He also rushed for 181 yards and another nine touchdowns.

For his career, Katin Houser has played in 34 total games. He has completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 6,438 yards and 43 touchdowns. That’s against 22 interceptions. He also has 352 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns for his career.

Illinois is coming off two excellent seasons under Bret Bielema, when the Illini were quarterbacked by Luke Altmyer. During that time, Illinois went 19-7 with two bowl wins. For Illinois, it was the program’s first back-to-back bowl wins since 2010 and 2011. 19 wins was also their most wins in program history over a two-season stretch. Now, however, Altmyer is out of eligibility, meaning Bielema needs to find the quarterback of the future.

This offseason will see Illinois overhaul its roster. The Fighting Illini have already had 25 transfers. That includes quarterback Trey Petty. Along with Katin Houser, Illinois has also added transfer quarterback Maurice Smith from the portal. He’s coming from Division II Chowan University. So, it’s safe to say that Illinois isn’t done with its Transfer Portal additions just yet.

One interesting note in the upcoming 2026 schedule. Illinois is set to play at Michigan State, which will act as a kind of homecoming game for Katin Houser. The date and time for that game aren’t set yet.

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