The family of a woman fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy outside Springfield last year that sparked protests around the nation will receive $10 million in a settlement approved by the Sangamon County Board.
Sonya Massey was fatally shot July 6 by Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson during a confrontation inside her home. Grayson, who has been fired and is awaiting trial on murder charges in Massey’s killing, worked for five law enforcement agencies and had been the subject of citizen complaints and criticism from superiors who questioned his competence before he was hired by the Sangamon County sheriff’s office.
“He should have never been hired,” Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said of Grayson during a virtual news conference Wednesday, which would have been Massey’s 37th birthday. Wilburn said the case gives Illinois the opportunity to be “leaders throughout the country” to ensure officers like him can’t easily go from one police department to another.
Records show before the Sangamon County sheriff’s office hired Grayson in 2023, the office spoke with some of the law enforcement agencies that previously employed him and those agencies questioned his abilities as an officer, saying he needed more training.
The issue of whether to certify or decertify police officers was addressed in a series of state criminal justice reforms known as the SAFE-T Act that were passed in 2021. But observers questioned the effectiveness of that effort following Massey’s killing.
Earlier this month, state Rep. Justin Slaughter, a Chicago Democrat, introduced legislation that would require a task force composed of appointees by the governor and legislative leaders to identify certain measures to ensure unfit candidates are not hired as law enforcement officers and explore strategies to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by police.
The task force would also be required to issue a report to the Illinois General Assembly no later than June 30, 2026, with recommendations for preventing people with “dangerous backgrounds” from being hired as law enforcement. The legislation would also prohibit law enforcement from hiring an officer “without reviewing background disciplinary actions, terminations, and administrative review from previous employers.”
At Wednesday’s news conference, Slaughter, who was also the main House sponsor of the SAFE-T Act, said his latest legislation would ensure potential problem officers get scrutinized more appropriately by prospective employers.
“Ultimately we can build trust with law enforcement between all the citizens of Illinois,” Slaughter said. “This is about building trust so that we can enhance and improve public safety.”
Another piece of legislation introduced earlier this month by state Sen. Doris Turner, a Springfield Democrat, would prohibit law enforcement agencies from offering anyone a job as a cop if the applicant fails to authorize previous departments they have worked for to make their employment records available.
Massey was shot after Grayson and another deputy officer responded to a 911 call about a possible prowler outside Massey’s home. When Grayson, who is white, and the other deputy officer arrived, Massey, who was Black, took a few minutes to answer the door and appeared confused. Her family has said she had mental health issues.
The two officers said they didn’t find anyone around her home. Inside, a conversation ensued over a pot of boiling water on Massey’s stove that she picked up at some point.
According to body camera footage, Massey said, “Oh, I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” before Grayson angrily replied, “You better (expletive) not. I swear to God. I’ll (expletive) shoot you right in your (expletive) face.”
Grayson then demanded that Massey drop the pot before shooting her. The Sangamon County coroner’s office said she died of a gunshot wound to the head.
Grayson, who remains in custody, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges.
At Wednesday’s news conference, Massey family attorney Antonio Romanucci emphasized the need for changes in how law enforcement officers are screened, hired and how much information is shared between police departments about their backgrounds.
“That pot of water that was on the stove was never, ever a threat to Sean Grayson or anyone else in that room,” Romanucci said. “Instead, Sean Grayson was a ticking time bomb and no one should be surprised that this unfit officer eventually cost someone their life.”
The Massey family was also represented by Ben Crump, who has represented families in other high-profile killings by law enforcement, including George Floyd’s in 2020.
“We pray for her family as they continue this journey,” Crump said. “We pray for this county and the state as we continue this journey. We pray for America as we continue this journey now more than ever to deal with these constitutional failures.”
