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| Charges explained from the deadly encounter between Sonya Massey and Deputy Sean Grayson began when she called 911 to report a possible intruder outside. |
Update
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 lessen the danger Grayson posed to the community.
A circuit court judge will set a date with attorneys to consider conditions for Grayson's release before he goes to trial for Massey's murder. The conditions may include home confinement or some sort of monitoring system. He is due back in court on Monday for a hearing.
Sean Grayson, the 30-year-old Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy was indicted by a grand jury on July 17 on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in connection with the July 6 shooting at Sonya Massey’s home near Springfield. On August 26 per motion of the Defendant, pretrial hearing was continued to December 2, 2024, before Judge Cadagin and the Defendant remanded to the custody of the Sheriff.
Massey is one of several Black women who have been killed by police in their own homes in recent years, including Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson. In a news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Massey’s family, connected her death to other cases of police violence against Black people across the US.
Agency: CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
3 Counts of FIRST-DEGREE MURDER Statute 720 5/9-1(a)(1) Class M
1 Count of AGGRAVATED BATTERY W/ FIREARM Statute 720 5/12-3.05(e)(1) Class X
1 Count of OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT Statute 720 5/33-3(A)(1) Class 3
THE LAW
Because homicide is excusable on the ground of accident if it appears that the defendant was acting lawfully in self-defense, the highly deadly act of shooting a person in the head instead of the shoulder or elsewhere is the reason for the severity of charge. The defendant not threatening Massey with a taser or pepper spray and yelling his intent to shoot her in the head is why prosecutors went with first degree murder. In addition, deliberation and premeditation need only be for seconds before the act which is why these charges are sought even with the victim throwing boiling water at the defendant.
AGGRAVATED BATTERY W/ FIREARM
A person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, he or she knowingly discharges a firearm and causes any injury to another person.
SELF DEFENSE IN GENERAL
The homicide is excusable or justifiable where, while a person is lawfully acting in self-defense, the death of the assailant results from misadventure, or an innocent bystander is killed by a random shot, if under the circumstances, the killing of the person intended to be killed would have been excusable or justifiable as in self-defense.
ILLINOIS CASE LAW
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 lessen the danger Grayson posed to the community.
A circuit court judge will set a date with attorneys to consider conditions for Grayson's release before he goes to trial for Massey's murder. The conditions may include home confinement or some sort of monitoring system. He is due back in court on Monday for a hearing.
Sean Grayson, the 30-year-old Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy was indicted by a grand jury on July 17 on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in connection with the July 6 shooting at Sonya Massey’s home near Springfield. On August 26 per motion of the Defendant, pretrial hearing was continued to December 2, 2024, before Judge Cadagin and the Defendant remanded to the custody of the Sheriff.
What happened on July 6th
Massey called 911 about a possible prowler. Grayson and an unidentified deputy responded and found nothing after searching the vicinity. Moving inside her house, the deputies requested her ID, and Massey began searching for it. The situation escalated quickly when a deputy asked Massey to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove. Massey lifted the pot and said twice, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Grayson threatened to shoot her in the face and drew his service pistol. His partner did the same and Grayson repeatedly yelled, "Drop the f***ing pot," and Massey apologized. She appeared to crouch down but threw the hot water per the other officer’s body cam footage. Grayson then shot her three times, hitting Massey in the head and ultimately killing her. The unidentified officer stated that he was going to get their medical kit, but Grayson told him not to.Massey is one of several Black women who have been killed by police in their own homes in recent years, including Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson. In a news conference, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Massey’s family, connected her death to other cases of police violence against Black people across the US.
CASE INFORMATION
Case: 2024-CF-000909Agency: CITY OF SPRINGFIELD
3 Counts of FIRST-DEGREE MURDER Statute 720 5/9-1(a)(1) Class M
1 Count of AGGRAVATED BATTERY W/ FIREARM Statute 720 5/12-3.05(e)(1) Class X
1 Count of OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT Statute 720 5/33-3(A)(1) Class 3
THE LAW
Because homicide is excusable on the ground of accident if it appears that the defendant was acting lawfully in self-defense, the highly deadly act of shooting a person in the head instead of the shoulder or elsewhere is the reason for the severity of charge. The defendant not threatening Massey with a taser or pepper spray and yelling his intent to shoot her in the head is why prosecutors went with first degree murder. In addition, deliberation and premeditation need only be for seconds before the act which is why these charges are sought even with the victim throwing boiling water at the defendant.
AGGRAVATED BATTERY W/ FIREARM
A person commits aggravated battery when, in committing a battery, he or she knowingly discharges a firearm and causes any injury to another person.
OFFICIAL MISCONDUCT
The police claimed her death was self-inflicted, according to the victim’s family and dispatch audio from the incident. Under the statute making official misconduct by a public officer or employee a criminal offense, not all actions of a police officer are done in their official capacity, even those performed while on duty. An employee of a law enforcement agency commits misconduct when the employee knowingly uses or communicates, directly or indirectly, information acquired in the course of employment, with the intent to obstruct, impede, or prevent the investigation, apprehension, or prosecution of any criminal offense or person.SELF DEFENSE IN GENERAL
The homicide is excusable or justifiable where, while a person is lawfully acting in self-defense, the death of the assailant results from misadventure, or an innocent bystander is killed by a random shot, if under the circumstances, the killing of the person intended to be killed would have been excusable or justifiable as in self-defense.
The Defendant’s Defense
Any claim of immunity must be based on an intentional but justifiable use of force. Intentionally and deliberately aiming and firing negates recklessness, for purposes of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.ILLINOIS CASE LAW
A person who kills an individual without lawful justification commits first-degree murder if, in performing the acts which cause the death:
he either intends to kill or do great bodily harm to that individual or another, or knows that such acts will cause death to that individual or another; or
he knows that such acts create a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to that individual or another; or
he or she, acting alone or with one or more participants, commits or attempts to commit a forcible felony other than second degree murder, and in the course of or in furtherance of such crime or flight therefrom, he or she or another participant causes the death of a person.
The Appellate Court held that unless the defendant had very little time to think or assess situation, and had to act immediately to protect himself or another from danger, the killing does not constitute manslaughter. People v. Adams, 9 Ill. App. 3d 61, 291 N.E.2d 54 (1972)
In Illinois, a person is guilty of first-degree murder where he or she kills an individual without lawful justification and either intends to kill or to do great bodily harm to that individual or another. People v. Alvarez-Garcia, 395 Ill. App. 3d 719, 344 Ill. Dec. 59, 936 N.E.2d 588 (1st Dist. 2009).
To prove murder, it is not necessary to show that defendant had specific intent to kill or do great bodily harm, or that he knew with certainty that his acts would achieve murderous results; it is sufficient to show that defendant voluntarily and willfully committed act, natural tendency of which was to destroy another's life, and defendant's intent may be implied from character of act committed. S.H.A. 720 ILCS 5/9–1(a)(2).
Proof of a specific intent to kill is rarely proven through direct evidence in a first degree murder prosecution. People v. Scott, 2020 IL App (1st) 180200, 169 N.E.3d 840 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2020), appeal denied, 442 Ill. Dec. 394, 159 N.E.3d 942 (Ill. 2020).
The first DUI led to his discharge from the military in February 2016 for serious misconduct. After his discharge, Grayson resided in Junction City, Kansas. He began working part-time with Pawnee police in August 2020, then moved to the Kincaid and Virden police departments, before taking up full-time work with Auburn police, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office and – in May 2023 – Sangamon County.
Grayson falsely arrested Kyle Adkins in 2021. Grayson claimed there was a warrant and evidence against Adkins, which were later proven to be non-existent.
In 2022, Grayson, at the time a deputy for the Logan County Sheriff's Office, was involved in a high-speed police chase where he refused an order from his superiors to terminate the pursuit. Grayson continued his pursuit reaching speeds up to 110 mph. He also turned off his lights and siren but did not stop the pursuit until he hit a deer. This resulted in a meeting between Grayson and his superiors about his misconduct and the possibility of firing Grayson. However, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office absolved him and never reported the misconduct.
According to his lawyer, Grayson has stage 3 colon cancer, which was diagnosed in the fall of 2023. His lawyer also said Grayson was not a threat to the community because he was compliant and turned himself in within a half-hour after his arrest warrant was issued. The defendant was still remanded to the custody of the Sheriff.
Grayson has since been fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff Department.
he either intends to kill or do great bodily harm to that individual or another, or knows that such acts will cause death to that individual or another; or
he knows that such acts create a strong probability of death or great bodily harm to that individual or another; or
he or she, acting alone or with one or more participants, commits or attempts to commit a forcible felony other than second degree murder, and in the course of or in furtherance of such crime or flight therefrom, he or she or another participant causes the death of a person.
The Appellate Court held that unless the defendant had very little time to think or assess situation, and had to act immediately to protect himself or another from danger, the killing does not constitute manslaughter. People v. Adams, 9 Ill. App. 3d 61, 291 N.E.2d 54 (1972)
In Illinois, a person is guilty of first-degree murder where he or she kills an individual without lawful justification and either intends to kill or to do great bodily harm to that individual or another. People v. Alvarez-Garcia, 395 Ill. App. 3d 719, 344 Ill. Dec. 59, 936 N.E.2d 588 (1st Dist. 2009).
To prove murder, it is not necessary to show that defendant had specific intent to kill or do great bodily harm, or that he knew with certainty that his acts would achieve murderous results; it is sufficient to show that defendant voluntarily and willfully committed act, natural tendency of which was to destroy another's life, and defendant's intent may be implied from character of act committed. S.H.A. 720 ILCS 5/9–1(a)(2).
Proof of a specific intent to kill is rarely proven through direct evidence in a first degree murder prosecution. People v. Scott, 2020 IL App (1st) 180200, 169 N.E.3d 840 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2020), appeal denied, 442 Ill. Dec. 394, 159 N.E.3d 942 (Ill. 2020).
About the Defendant
Sean Patrick Grayson, the 30-year-old deputy from Riverton, Illinois, responsible for killing Massey, worked for six different Illinois police departments between 2020 and 2024. While enlisted in the Army, Grayson had two misdemeanor DUI convictions in 2015 and 2016.The first DUI led to his discharge from the military in February 2016 for serious misconduct. After his discharge, Grayson resided in Junction City, Kansas. He began working part-time with Pawnee police in August 2020, then moved to the Kincaid and Virden police departments, before taking up full-time work with Auburn police, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office and – in May 2023 – Sangamon County.
Grayson falsely arrested Kyle Adkins in 2021. Grayson claimed there was a warrant and evidence against Adkins, which were later proven to be non-existent.
In 2022, Grayson, at the time a deputy for the Logan County Sheriff's Office, was involved in a high-speed police chase where he refused an order from his superiors to terminate the pursuit. Grayson continued his pursuit reaching speeds up to 110 mph. He also turned off his lights and siren but did not stop the pursuit until he hit a deer. This resulted in a meeting between Grayson and his superiors about his misconduct and the possibility of firing Grayson. However, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office absolved him and never reported the misconduct.
According to his lawyer, Grayson has stage 3 colon cancer, which was diagnosed in the fall of 2023. His lawyer also said Grayson was not a threat to the community because he was compliant and turned himself in within a half-hour after his arrest warrant was issued. The defendant was still remanded to the custody of the Sheriff.
Grayson has since been fired from the Sangamon County Sheriff Department.
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