A downstate Peoria jury convicted a white ex-cop of second-degree murder Wednesday for fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her Springfield area home in a verdict her family’s lawyers called “a measure of justice” for the slain, unarmed Black woman.
Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson was found guilty of one count of the lesser charge for killing 36-year-old Massey.
Grayson had been charged with three counts of first-degree murder. 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.
A second-degree murder conviction in Illinois carries a potential sentence of between four and 20 years behind bars.
Grayson’s sentencing was set for late January.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
The nine-woman, three-man jury, which included just one Black juror, took parts of two days to reach a verdict.
When the jury’s decision was read in open court, Grayson sat expressionless at the defense table in the Peoria courtroom while his mother in the gallery choked back tears.
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.
Shortly after the verdict, lawyers representing Massey’s family issued a statement that called the conviction a “measure of justice” and praised Sangamon County prosecutors for their legal pursuit of Grayson.
“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,” said the statement, issued by attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci. “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. They handled the case with professionalism, transparency, and compassion,” the lawyers statement continued. “Prosecuting a police officer is never easy but this team did it with courage and integrity.”
This is a developing story.