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The Illinois deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey in the face after she called to report a suspected prowler has been branded a “ticking time bomb” by her family’s lawyer.
Former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson is facing first-degree murder charges over the fatal shooting of 36-year-old Massey last month at her home in Springfield.
Massey, a Black woman who was undergoing a mental health crisis at the time, had called 911 to request police check out what she thought might be a prowler outside. When Grayson and Massey squabbled over an apparent misunderstanding about a pot of hot water she had on the stove, Grayson opened fire, killing Massey with a bullet to the face. He later wrote in an incident report that he shot Massey because he feared for his life.
Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty.
The 30-year-old Grayson had worked for six different law enforcement agencies in a span of four years before being hired by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office. Grayson had earlier been caught with an unregistered gun in his car and busted twice for DUI, earning him an involuntary discharge from the US Army.
When these details became public, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell was heavily criticized for having hired Grayson. However, Campbell argued that Grayson hadn’t been fired from any of his other positions and had come highly recommended by past supervisors. Amid the public flak, Campbell said as recently as last month that he would remain on the job. On Friday, he announced that he would be stepping down at the end of August.
At a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Massey family attorney Antonio Romanucci said existing legislation in the state must now be amended to make sure people like Grayson get “red-flagged” so they can’t obtain police jobs.
“When you consider that Sean Grayson had two DUI convictions, if Sean Grayson wanted to visit Canada, if he wanted to visit the beautiful cities of Toronto or Montreal, he wouldn’t be allowed to do so,” Romanucci told reporters. “He couldn’t cross the border, but he was able to work as a deputy sheriff in Sangamon County. You think about that.”
Standing side-by-side with members of the Massey family and co-counsel Ben Crump, Romanucci also pushed for a 45-day waiting period for police officers switching jobs. This “quiet time” would ensure that comprehensive background checks can be completed before an officer’s hire date, making certain that bad cops are kept from the ranks, Romanucci said.
Both measures would serve to “stop the ticking” in the case of an applicant like Grayson, according to Romanucci.
Crump, who represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others killed during encounters with police, began his comments by noting that today was the 116th anniversary of a deadly race riot that took place in Springfield — an event that will be newly designated with a national monument, according to the White House.
Crump said the Masseys continue to grieve their loss, while at the same time feeling hopeful that Sonya’s death may yet spur positive change. In announcing his retirement, Campbell, a Republican who was first elected to his position in 2018, said he was “committed to making changes to our standards and collaborating with other units of government on ways to prevent incidents like this in the future.”
“It has become clear that the current political climate has made it nearly impossible for me to continue effectively in my role,” Campbell said in his retirement message. “Some individuals would rather see our community divided and in turmoil, than allow me to continue serving as sheriff. The health of me and my family, the Sheriff’s Office, and our community has to be my priority.”
On Wednesday, Crump said Campbell has said the right things about continuing to help heal the community, and to pursue justice for the Massey family, who “want to take him at his word.” Crump thanked Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for “his leadership in this matter,” adding that the governor “was very sensitive when he met with the family.”
In addition to murder, Grayson is also accused of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.
