The Illinois Prisoner Review Board Friday denied a bid from a cancer-stricken former downstate sheriff’s deputy convicted of murdering an unarmed Black woman to be released from prison early.
Sean Grayson, who is white, is serving a 20-year-sentence for fatally shooting Springfield area resident Sonya Massey in her kitchen two years ago. And despite a jury finding him guilty of second degree murder, Grayson maintained in his petition for early release that the 36-year-old Massey “attacked him with a pot of boiling water” when he responded to her 911 call.
Without commenting on its decision, the three-person panel made up of two Republicans and one Democrat voted unanimously against setting Grayson free after deliberating for just 10 minutes. Neither Grayson, his legal team nor supporters were present.
In a news conference after the hearing, Massey’s family and friends celebrated the decision.
“They did the right thing,” James Wilburn, Massey’s father, said. “[The board] did not perpetrate the serious miscarriage of justice. ”
In a statement after the panel’s vote, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Massey has left a lasting legacy on the state.
“Sonya Massey’s family and loved ones remain in my thoughts today. Her killing was a profound loss that can never be reversed. Sonya was innocent, unarmed, and calling law enforcement for help. It was a painful reminder that too many innocent Black Americans have faced this kind of violence — and they deserve justice,” the governor said.
Grayson sought early release through the state’s Joe Coleman Medical Release Act, which allows those in custody who are terminally ill or who have a medical condition that incapacitates them to apply for early release from prison.
The law, which was signed in 2022, spells out terminal illness as a condition that is irreversible, incurable and is likely to cause death within 18 months. According to his defense attorneys, Grayson is battling Stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to his liver and lungs. He was first diagnosed in 2023.
In his petition, which was obtained by WBEZ, Grayson indicated his cancer is irreversible, incurable and will likely cause death within 18 months, though he is able to perform basic activities, like feeding and dressing himself.
The panel, which handles all traditional parole and clemency cases, reviewed a medical evaluation from the Illinois Department of Corrections. In addition, the board considered how much Grayson’s treatment would cost the state and how his incarceration would impact IDOC’s ability to provide medical care to others.
Grayson does have the option to reapply as many times as he wants, an agency spokesperson said. His legal team declined a request for comment.
On July 6, 2024, Grayson and another officer responded to Massey’s call reporting a potential prowler. The interaction escalated in a matter of minutes, when Grayson threatened to “shoot [Massey] in the f- – – – – – face” as he focused on a pot of boiling water on her stove. Body-worn camera footage shows an unarmed Massey ducking behind her kitchen counter as Grayson fired his duty weapon at her three times, striking her in her face.
During Grayson’s trial, prosecutors zeroed in on the shooting itself and the moments immediately following. Grayson can be seen refusing to administer first aid to Massey, telling his partner Massey had “a head shot, dude — she’s done,” and calling her a “crazy b– – – – -” when paramedics and other officers arrived at the scene.
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser told the jury last fall Grayson’s actions were “out of bounds for civilized society.” In a letter to the Prisoner Review Board earlier this month, Milhiser urged the panel to deny Grayson’s release petition, saying the former cop was already diagnosed with cancer when he shot Massey.
“His temper and willingness to escalate minor misunderstandings into fatal encounters shows that he poses a danger. … Cancer does not make him less dangerous,” Milhiser wrote.
Grayson also previously sought a reduced sentence in May, which a downstate judge swiftly denied.
A WBEZ open records request found no letters of support were submitted to the Prisoner Review Board on behalf of Grayson before his hearing. However, four members of Massey’s family read victim impact statements before the panel.
Her mother, Donna Massey, told the board her daughter’s life was worth more than the several months that Grayson has spent in prison so far.
“Letting Sean Grayson out … for compassion? Where’s the compassion he gave to Sonya?” Massey asked. “She was a young mother of two, and she got shot in her face for saying, ‘I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.’”