An Illinois appellate court ruled Wednesday that a former deputy sheriff charged with the death of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman shot in her home after she called police for help, should be released from jail pending his first-degree murder trial.
The 4th District Appellate Court's unanimous decision found that a circuit court ruling in July that Sean Grayson should be detained was improper. It said prosecutors failed to supply sufficient evidence that there were no conditions the court could set that would that no combination of conditions would lessen the danger Grayson posed to the community.
In his opinion for the court, Justice Eugene Doherty found fault with prosecutors for basing their arguments against release on the way Grayson acted during the shooting.
“When the question before the court is whether defendant can be safely released prior to trial on appropriate conditions, it is inappropriate to dwell on whether he fell short of the high expectations society rightly has for its law enforcement officers,” Doherty wrote. “A defendant’s conduct may be reprehensible and deserving of punishment, but that is an inappropriate basis for imposing pretrial detention.”
The opinion ordered a court hearing for Grayson at which suitable conditions for his release be set.
Grayson's next court hearing is scheduled for Monday. A telephone message was left for his attorney.
The 30-year-old Sangamon County sheriff's deputy is charged with first-degree murder in the July 6 shooting of Massey, who had called 911 to report a suspected prowler. During a conversation in her living room, Grayson ordered a pot of water on the stove be removed.
Massey, who had dealt with mental health issues, joked with Grayson over the pan, then inexplicably told Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot, and as she ducked, he fired three shots, striking her just below the left eye.
The case has drawn national attention as an example of police shooting Black people in their homes.
