Sonya Massey should be alive but she’s not because a former Sangamon County Deputy Sean Grayson gunned her down inside her own home in July 2024 after asserting the cowardly claim that his life was in danger. As far as we’re concerned, Sean Grayson wanted to kill Sonya Massey and we’re not alone in that thinking. The criminal justice system believes Sean Grayson wanted to kill Sonya Massey because following the shooting, Grayson was fried from the department and charged with first degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm, and official misconduct.
According to new reporting by CBSNews, Grayson and his lawyer have begged the Illinois Supreme Court to allow him to go free from jail while he awaits trial. Imagine thinking that an “alleged” first-degree murderer ex-cop isn’t a threat to society and deserves to walk the streets? Tuh. The reason the state’s supreme court had to step in is because last year a lower court found that the ruling to keep Grayson in jail was improper because the state failed to present options that could reduce Grayson’s potential harm to society. Prosecutors weren’t trying to hear that at all and asked the big dogs to step in and rule. Illinois Assistant Attorney General Michael Cebula made his case to the court this past Wednesday saying:
“This is someone who acts impulsively, this is someone who has terrible judgment, and if they cannot comply with basic expectations of society – which is not to escalate situations to this degree – then we cannot expect them to comply with conditions of release,” he said. “This was not a high-stress situation, and the fact the defendant viewed it as a high-stress situation should be deeply troubling.”
Meanwhile, WAND reports that a new law is set to be enacted in Sonya Massey’s honor. The Illinois House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1953 that will enforce stricter hiring practices for sheriff’s offices and police departments. Part of SB1953 states that police departments will no longer be allowed to make employment offers to potential candidates until employment records, background investigation materials, physical and psychological fitness-for-duty exams, performance records, arrests, convictions, and all records of criminal, civil, or administrative investigations have been reviewed. One might assume that these things would already be a part of the strict qualifications needs to carry a badge and gun but no, they let any ol’ body patrol the streets these days. That’s how people like Sonya Massey end up dead when they are truly in need of assistance.
No ruling has been made but rest assured BOSSIP will have the latest news on the court’s decision as soon as it’s available.
