The family of Sonya Massey spoke out on Wednesday (Feb. 12) following the official approval of their $10 million settlement with Sangamon County, IL. The agreement was finalized by county board members on Tuesday (Feb. 11) evening, with the family’s announcement coinciding with what would have been Massey’s 37th birthday.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, called it “bittersweet” during an online news conference. “This is our first step in getting full justice for Sonya Massey,” he stated, per CBS News. “We want civil accountability, criminal culpability and we want legislative changes. We want the laws to prevent something like this from happening again.”
“My heart is heavy,” added Massey’s father, James Wilburn. He then expressed gratitude to state Rep. Justin Slaughter and state Sen. Doris Turner, both Democrats, for their legislative efforts to curb the hiring of problematic officers “so no one else would have to feel the kind of hurt that we are feeling today.”
The resolution was reached earlier this month after an extensive day of mediation. “At the end of the mediation, all parties agreed upon a $10 million settlement,” stated Sangamon County Assistant State’s Attorney Joel Benoit. As part of the deal, Massey’s family will withdraw all existing lawsuits.
The deadly encounter that sparked outrage
Massey, 36, was shot and killed in her home near Springfield on July 6, 2024, by Deputy Sheriff Sean Grayson. Authorities said Grayson and other officers responded to her 911 call about a potential threat outside. Moments later, while checking on a pot of boiling water in her kitchen, Massey, a Black woman, was fatally shot after declaring, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson later claimed he perceived Massey and the boiling water as a threat. However, he was subsequently dismissed from the sheriff's office and charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and remains incarcerated while seeking release ahead of his trial. During a subsequent investigation, it was revealed that Grayson worked for six different police departments in four years and accumulated a record of misconduct and legal issues.
Investigating the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office
Following Massey’s death, CBS News launched their own inquiry into the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office and uncovered a long history of civil rights complaints. Surveillance footage, body and dash cam videos, crime scene photos, law enforcement documents and court records gathered over the past six months were tied to over 50 allegations spanning the last two decades. These cases involved claims of wrongful arrests, excessive force and even fatalities at the hands of law enforcement.
One Black resident, whose interview was shared by CBS on Thursday (Feb. 13), recalled being arrested in 2022 by a different deputy after refusing to accept court papers for a relative. That same deputy tased another Black woman twice during a traffic stop over a decade earlier. While numerous residents have taken legal action against the county over such incidents, the sheriff’s office consistently denied any wrongdoing – even in cases that resulted in financial settlements.
Last month, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office agreed to a two-year monitoring period under the Justice Department. With that said, the future of that agreement remains uncertain, as civil rights settlements from the Biden administration are now under review by officials representing President Donald Trump.