A southern Illinois jury on Wednesday found Sean Grayson, a white ex-cop, guilty of second-degree murder for fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her Springfield home last year after the unarmed Black woman called 911 to report a suspected prowler.
“Grayson had been charged with three counts of first-degree murder,” WBEZ noted. “The jury’s decision to convict on a single lesser count of second-degree murder averted a potential lifetime sentence in prison that first-degree murder charges carried in some instances.”
The former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy, who now faces up to 20 years behind bars, is set to be sentenced in January. Reactions to the verdict were mixed, with some saying that the jury didn’t go far enough.
“Sonya Massey called for help and was killed for it. This isn’t justice. Justice is Sonya Massey still being alive. This is merely accountability,” said Nina Turner, a senior fellow at the Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy. “Thinking about her family and loved ones today.”
WBEZ reported that “Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, had tears streaming down her face as the verdict was announced. Sonya Massey’s teenaged daughter, Summer, broke down in sobs as she and her family exited the courtroom, screaming that Grayson should have been convicted of first-degree murder.”
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, described the outcome as a “miscarriage of justice,” according to the Associated Press. Springfield civil rights activist Teresa Haley told reporters outside the courthouse: “She called for help and she was murdered in her own home… Second-degree murder—that is not right. That is not justice for anybody’s family.”
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Nationally renowned attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represented Massey’s family—which secured a $10 million settlement for her wrongful death earlier this year—said in a Wednesday statement that “while we believe Grayson’s actions deserved a first-degree conviction, today’s verdict is still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey.”
“Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost,” the lawyers said. “We will continue to fight for Sonya’s family and for reforms that protect everyone from unlawful use of force.”
“The family extends deep gratitude to Sangamon County State’s Attorney John C. Milhiser and his entire office,” the pair added. “They handled the case with professionalism, transparency, and compassion. Prosecuting a police officer is never easy but this team did it with courage and integrity.”
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After Grayson murdered Massey on July 6, 2024, various reports exposed his history of misconduct. Wednesday’s verdict came two months after Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation named for Massey that requires police agencies to comprehensively review an applicant’s employment history before making a job offer.
“When Sonya Massey feared for her safety, she did what anyone would do—she called law enforcement for help. Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct,” Pritzker said at the time. “Today, I sign Sonya Massey’s Bill to help prevent these tragedies, to better equip law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and to continue working to build a justice system that protects all of our citizens.”
Also welcoming the new law, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in August that “because of the strength that exists in Sonya Massey’s family and the resilience that lives in the community she left behind, a bunch of individual people took their pain and made a difference. This is what happens when we meet each other with humanity.”
In response to the verdict, Stratton declared: “Say her name: Sonya Massey. Sonya Massey’s life mattered, and she should be alive today. Though nothing we ever say or do will bring Sonya back, today’s verdict is one step closer on the long path towards justice.”
“Her final moments were a devastating example of how a system meant to protect and serve can fail, but the accountability we saw today is a reminder to keep hope alive for a world where tragedies like Sonya’s no longer occur,” said Stratton, one of several Democrats running to replace retiring US Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
“I offer my love and continuing prayers to her mother Donna, and Sonya’s entire family as they relive the trauma of her passing yet remain determined to enact change,” she added. “May we speak her name and remember her for the fullness of her life: Sonya Massey will not be forgotten.”
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