White Officer Who Killed Sonya Massey Denied Pretrial Release

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Sean Grayson, the former deputy who shot and killed Sonya Massey in her Springfield, Illinois, home in July, was denied pretrial release by the Illinois Supreme Court. Now, his lawyers are challenging the decision, according to ABC 7 Chicago.

Grayson’s defense team has submitted two separate requests for his pretrial release from jail. According to the report, Judge Ryan Cadagin rejected the requests on July 18 and Aug. 9. 

During Grayson’s first hearing on Aug. 26, lawyers for the embattled former law official argued that Grayson, who is undergoing colon cancer treatment, is not receiving adequate medical care at Menyard County Jail where he is being detained. They also asserted that he poses no threat to Massey’s family. Despite these arguments, Judge Ryan Cadagin rejected his requests and he will remain behind bars until trial.

During Monday’s hearing, the defense sought additional time for discovery—essentially, the process of exchanging information about witnesses and evidence between the prosecution and defense. Judge Cadagin approved the request and scheduled a status hearing for Oct. 21. Grayson has pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody until his next court date.

What is Grayson being charged with?

Grayson, faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, and official misconduct in connection with Massey’s July 6 death. On that dreadful evening, Grayson and one other officer responded to Massey’s 911 call shortly after midnight following her report of a possible prowler lurking around her Springfield home.

Upon entering her home, alarming bodycam footage captured the officers interacting with Massey, who was trying to turn off a boiling pot of water on the stove. Grayson, 30, cautioned her to step away from the stove, however, Massey responded, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” The incident escalated quickly with Grayson threatening to shoot Massey if she failed to step away from her boiling hot water. After apologizing and shouting “I’m sorry” multiple times, Grayson fired three shots, killing the mother of two instantly. The Illinois State Police investigation found that Grayson’s use of deadly force was unjustified. Consequently, he was terminated from his position at the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office on July 17, the same day the charges against him were filed.

Before Grayson shot Massey, his record revealed several issues. As previously reported, the 30-year-old officer had a troubled history, including being discharged from the Army for serious misconduct and pleading guilty to two DUI offenses, one in 2015 and another in 2016. Since 2020, Grayson has worked for six Illinois law enforcement agencies, including three part-time positions. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell noted that he was aware Grayson lacked adequate training before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Massey’s family believes police tried to cover up the shooting.

Massey’s family believes that Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office officials tried to cover up her murder by Grayson immediately following the shooting. During a July 23 interview with CBS Mornings, James Wilburn, the father of Massey, revealed that authorities gave conflicting accounts about the events leading to his daughter’s death after she was shot.

“I was never told that it was a deputy involved shooting,” the grieving father told Gayle King during a CBS Mornings interview in July as he sat next to his attorney, Ben Crump. “We were under the impression that she was killed by the intruder or some other person from the shooting.”

Wilburn revealed that he only learned of Massey’s death when his brother investigated further, using her address to obtain more information about the case. He also mentioned that there was a claim suggesting her death was “self-inflicted,” which he discussed with tears in his eyes.

“The cover-up started right after it happened. Thank God for the body camera footage. It’s probably the most horrible, heart-wrenching thing that we’ve ever seen in our lives, but if it were not for the bodycam footage, we would not have known that this occurred,” Wilburn added.

The family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover living expenses and mental health counseling as they fight for justice on behalf of Massey. As of Aug. 28, the campaign has generated over $522,000 dollars, still short of its $600,000 goal.

SEE MORE:

RIP Sonya Massey: Illinois Cops Shot Black Woman ‘In The Head’ At Her Home After She Called 911 For Help

Sonya Massey’s Killer Cop Had A Work History That Should Have Kept Him Off The Job

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