What to know about the murder trial of a sheriff deputy who killed Sonya Massey

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The murder trial of an Illinois sheriff’s deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman shot to death in her home last year after she called police for help, is set to begin Monday.

Sean Grayson, 31, responding to a call about a suspected prowler, shot Massey, 36, in her Springfield home early on July 6, 2024, after confronting her about how she was handling a pot of hot water that Grayson had ordered removed from her stove.

Jurors will report Monday and the trial could continue into next week.

Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes and prompted a change in Illinois law requiring greater transparency about the backgrounds of applicants for law enforcement positions.

Here’s what you need to know about the charges.

In addition to first-degree murder, Grayson is charged with aggravated battery with a firearm and professional misconduct. He pleaded not guilty.

Widespread attention to Grayson’s shooting of Massey prompted Sangamon County Circuit Judge Ryan Cadagin to move the trial from Springfield, 200 miles (322 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. Jurors will instead come from and around Peoria, an hour’s drive north, and hear the case in their local courthouse.

Grayson, who is white, faces a sentence of 45 years to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.

After Grayson and another deputy checked the area around Massey’s home, body camera video shows Grayson knocked on his door to report that they found nothing suspicious. He entered the house to obtain details for a report, noticed a pan on the stove and ordered it removed. Massey got it back.

She laughingly asked Grayson why he was backing down; he said he tried to avoid “hot, steaming water.” Massey responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. » Grayson wrote in an incident report: “I interpreted this to mean that she was going to kill me. »

According to body camera video, Grayson pulled out his 9mm pistol and yelled at Massey to drop the pot. She apologized, then put the pan down and hid behind a counter, but in the confusion, as Grayson shouted, it appeared she took it back. Grayson fired three times, hitting Massey once just under the left eye.

Massey, a single mother of two teenagers with a strong religious faith, was plagued by mental health issues. When she responded to Grayson minutes before the shooting, she said, “Don’t hurt me,” then, as she was being questioned and Grayson asked if she was okay, she repeatedly said, “Please, God.”

Earlier that week, Sonya Massey admitted herself to a 30-day inpatient mental health program in St. Louis, but returned two days later without explanation.

County records indicate that in the days leading up to the shooting, three 911 calls were made by Massey or on his behalf. In one, her mother, Donna Massey, told authorities that her daughter was suffering from a “mental breakdown.” Donna Massey also told the dispatcher, “I don’t want you to hurt him.” »

Grayson was unaware of the calls or Massey’s background. County officials have since said there is no practical way to determine and report that information to police responding to emergency calls.

Grayson was arrested 11 days after killing Massey and fired from the sheriff’s department.

As his background was examined, Massey’s family and others questioned why Grayson, who had been a Sangamon County deputy sheriff for 14 months, was hired.

In his early 20s, he was kicked out of the military for a drunk driving arrest in which he had a gun in his car. He was convicted of drunk driving again during the year.

Before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department, Grayson held four police positions in six years, the first three of which were part-time.

There was no indication that Grayson had been fired, but reviews from former employers documented concerns about him. One department reported that although Grayson worked hard and had a good attitude, he struggled with writing reports, was “not good with evidence – he left things lying around the office” and was “a braggart.”

Jack Campbell, the Sangamon County sheriff, was forced to retire six weeks after the shooting. He insisted, however, that none of Grayson’s problems prevented him from working as an MP.

State law enforcement officials had certified Grayson to fill each of his previous jobs, but Campbell still required him to complete the 16-week police academy training course.

In August, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law requiring prospective police officers to authorize the release of all their personal and employment records to any law enforcement agency considering hiring them. Legislative sponsors of the measure acknowledged that it does not prevent the hiring of candidates with varied backgrounds, but that it provides greater transparency.