Key Takeaways
- Jurors convicted former deputy Sean Grayson of second-degree murder in the 2024 police shooting of Sonya Massey.
- Civil rights attorneys and Massey’s family say the verdict does not go far enough toward justice.
- The Sonya Massey Act, now law in Illinois, enforces stricter hiring standards for police officers.
Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey, a Black mother of two who called 911 to report a possible prowler outside her Springfield home.
Grayson, who is white, was initially charged with first-degree murder, but jurors were given the option to convict on the lesser charge. NBC News reported that after nearly 12 hours of deliberation, the verdict was read on Wednesday (Oct. 29), as Grayson’s family held hands in tears while protesters outside chanted, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represented Massey’s family in a $10 million settlement, called the verdict “still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey” but said they believed the evidence warranted a first-degree conviction.
“I’m fueled by rage right now,” Sontae Massey, Sonya’s cousin, told reporters outside of the courthouse. “If you get an officer who says he’s going to shoot you in the face, and then he shoots you in the face, and you only get second-degree murder?”
Body-camera footage showed the moments leading up to the shooting in Sonya’s kitchen after a confrontation over a pot of boiling water. Prosecutors argued Massey was compliant and made “no sudden movements,” while the defense claimed Grayson feared she would throw the water at him. “I didn’t want to take the chance of the Taser malfunctioning,” Grayson testified.
Grayson faces four to 20 years in prison and could serve half of that with good behavior. “He showed no remorse. He was so cocky throughout this whole trial,” Sonya’s father, James Wilburn, said, according to NBC News. “Yeah, that knocked the smirk off.”
The Sonya Massey Act aims to prevent future tragedies
In August, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Sonya Massey Act into law, requiring stricter background checks for police hiring. The measure came after reports revealed Grayson had bounced between several departments and accumulated disciplinary complaints before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
The law now mandates that law enforcement agencies review an applicant’s full employment record — including nonpublic settlements and performance evaluations — before hiring.