PEORIA, Ill. – A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy who shot Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 for help and was later killed in her home because of the way she was handling a pan of hot water, has been found guilty of second-degree murder.
The nine-woman, three-man jury began deliberating on Tuesday. The jury deliberated for around five hours on Wednesday before a verdict was reached.
The backstory:
Sean Grayson, 31, and another deputy answered Massey’s emergency call reporting a prowler outside the 36-year-old woman’s Sangamon County home early on the morning of July 6, 2024. They entered the house and, spotting a pan of hot water on the stove, Grayson ordered it removed, according to the other deputy’s body camera video, which was key evidence.
Sonya Massey and Sean Grayson | Provided
Grayson and Massey joked about how Grayson moved away as Massey moved the hot pan. Then, Massey said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot and threatened to shoot her. Massey apologized and ducked behind a counter.
“She makes it abundantly clear, ‘I want no part of this. Let this be done,’” Sangamon County First Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers said in her closing argument.
Defense attorney Daniel Fultz beseeched the jury to decide how Grayson felt in the moment, “not to sit back 15 months later and say, ‘This is what I would have done.’”
“It is true that she put the pot down. If it ended there, we wouldn’t be here today, but for reasons we’ll never know, she reacquired the pot, stood up and threw it in his direction,” Fultz said. “Only at that time did he fire his weapon.”
Big picture view:
Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes. The accompanying publicity, protests and legal action over the shooting prompted the judge to move the trial from Springfield, 200 miles southwest of Chicago, to Peoria, an hour’s drive north of the capital city.
What they’re saying:
Civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent the Massey family, released a statement in response to the verdict, shared below:
“While we believe Grayson’s actions deserved a first-degree conviction, today’s verdict is still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey. Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost. We will continue to fight for Sonya’s family and for reforms that protect everyone from unlawful use of force.
“The family extends deep gratitude to Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser and his entire office. They handled the case with professionalism, transparency and compassion. Prosecuting a police officer is never easy, but this team did it with courage and integrity.”
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton also spoke out late Wednesday afternoon on the verdict:
“Say her name: Sonya Massey.
“Sonya Massey’s life mattered, and she should be alive today. Though nothing we ever say or do will bring Sonya back, today’s verdict is one step closer on the long path towards justice.
“Her final moments were a devastating example of how a system meant to protect and serve can fail, but the accountability we saw today is a reminder to keep hope alive for a world where tragedies like Sonya’s no longer occur.
“I offer my love and continuing prayers to her mother Donna, and Sonya’s entire family as they relive the trauma of her passing yet remain determined to enact change.
“May we speak her name and remember her for the fullness of her life: Sonya Massey will not be forgotten,” Stratton said.
Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher also released a statement on the verdict, saying the city is standing with Massey’s family. You can read it here.
What’s next:
Grayson faces a possible prison term of four to 20 years, with eligibility for day-for-day good time, according to the Associated Press. That means his sentence could be reduced by half if he maintains good behavior while incarcerated.
Alternatively, he could receive probation and avoid serving time in prison altogether.
His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 29.
The Source: The information in this story came from The Associated Press and FOX 32 reporting.
