On Wednesday, an Illinois jury reached a verdict convicting a sheriff’s deputy of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had dialed 911 to report a possible prowler, only to be tragically shot in the head by the responding officer.
The jury opted not to convict Deputy Sean Grayson of first-degree murder, a decision that left Massey’s family and supporters deeply upset, as reported by The Associated Press.
According to CrimeOnline, Grayson, along with his partner from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, responded to Massey’s home on the night of July 6, 2024. Although Grayson failed to activate his body camera until after the shooting, footage from his partner’s device supported the prosecution’s version of events.
Massey’s 911 call, made to report a suspected prowler, led Grayson and another deputy to her residence shortly before 1 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered a black SUV with broken windows parked in the driveway before proceeding to knock on the door.
When Massey finally opened the door after several minutes, she expressed her fears by saying, “Don’t hurt me.”
During the ensuing conversation, Massey appeared disoriented and requested assistance, admitting she was unsure about the ownership of the SUV outside her home.
Once inside, Massey went through her purse to find identification so the deputies could make a report. The other deputy’s body camera showed Grayson point to a pot sitting on a lit burner on the stove and tell her to turn off the stove. Massey went to the stove and moved the pot off the burner after turning it off.
One of the deputies backed away, telling her he was getting away from the water. Massey responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” prompting Grayson to begin cursing at her her warning her he’d “f****** shoot you in your f****** face” while pulling his gun and ordering her to drop the pot.
Massey apologized, still standing in the kitchen while Grayson was in the living room, separated from her by a divider between the rooms. “Drop the f****** pot!” he yells and then opens fire with three shots. After he’d killed Massey, Grayson told the other deputy not to get a medical kit because “that’s a headshot.”
“There’s nothing you can do, man,” he said. “She’s done.”
Grayson told responding officers that Massey “came at me with boiling water” although the body camera footage showed nothing of the sort. She remained in the kitchen and never moved past the counter between the kitchen and the living room.
Grayson, 31, was charged with first degree murder, but the jury was given the option of second degree murder, the AP said. His sentencing has been set for January 29, and he faces up to 20 years in prison — or could even be sentenced to probation.
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, called the second degree murder verdict a “miscarriage of justice.”
“She called for help and she was murdered in her own home. … Second-degree murder — that is not right. That is not justice for anybody’s family,” said civil rights activist Teresa Haley.
“While we believe Grayson’s actions deserved a first-degree conviction, today’s verdict is still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey,” the family’s attorneys, Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, said after the seven-day trial.
Grayson’s attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined comment.
Grayson was ultimately fired from his job, and the murder forced the early retirement of the sheriff who hired him. Additionally, a federal inquiry prompted the sheriff’s office to agree to strengthen its training for deputies, especially de-escalation practices, and develop a program that would allow mental health professionals to respond to some emergency calls.
Massey’s family previously settled a lawsuit against Sangamon County for $10 million, and the state legislature changed the law to require more transparency on background checks for law enforcement hires.
