A Routine Call Turned Tragic
In early July 2024, Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother living in Springfield, Illinois, phoned in to report a possible prowler. She was unarmed, in a known state of emotional distress, and desperately calling for help. The person who responded was Deputy Sean Grayson.
By the end of the exchange, she had been shot three times—one bullet lodged in her head. She died alone in her home.
A Pattern of Red Flags
Grayson wasn’t a novice officer. His history raised serious concerns:
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Discharged from the Army for a serious offense
Two DUI convictions in 2015 and 2016
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Repeated transfers, working for six law enforcement agencies within four years
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Documented lapses in judgment, including dangerously high-speed pursuits and recommendations to take “high‑stress decision‑making” classes
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Prior misconduct was systematically disregarded and allowed—facilitating his continued close proximal access to vulnerable communities by hiring him in a direct contact position.
This history paints a grim picture of a system that repeatedly failed to hold one of its own accountable.
Fired, Charged, and Touched by History
After Massey’s death, Grayson was swiftly fired. He now faces:
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First-degree murder
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Aggravated battery with a firearm
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Official misconduct
He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bond. Key witnesses concluded his use of force was not justified—likening it to an officer deliberately placing himself in harm’s way and justifying violence out of fear.
Moving the Trial—and the Conversation
Judge Ryan Cadagin moved the trial from Springfield to Peoria, citing extensive media coverage and a $10 million settlement reached by the county and Massey’s family—an unusual level of visibility that might skew a fair jury.
Cases in which white criminal perpetrate crimes against Black citizens have been traditionally suppressed for the history of the nation—rebranded as the vague abstraction “racial disparities” which exclude specific and complete incident details from national and international public view. This rebranding to the generic "racial disparity" enables both the specific criminal offender(s) and the criminal structure which they traditionally operate from within to evade legal and judicial accountability.
We appreciate the accused defense's rare recognition of this longstanding pattern and call on the public to critically re-examine the appropriateness of "traditional behavior" in the 21st century landscape.
a.) If systemically immoral, unethical and illegal conduct is not being systematically executed against American citizens what is the purpose of systematic and societal adherence to secrecy?
b.) How would a mandate of equal, public transparency at every step of criminal allegations, for every individual in the USA, change the landscape of criminal conduct and justice in the USA?
c.) Do we need to confront the potential of equal transparency—to significantly improve the health, wealth, and legal protection of every individual in the United States, mentally and structurally preparing ourselves to compete in an economy where the playing field is finally level—because we're good enough, or do we need to keep systematically and systemically cheating because of the belief that we're not good enough—while lying about how great we believe ourselves to be?
Pretty important, critical questions that should be discussed publicly and transparently by the descendants of foundational Black and white Americans, who established the United States as a sovereign nation through bloodshed and battle together at the Revolutionary War, and who again reinstated that there would be no conquering—only partnership with one another in this geographical space—at the Civil War, and have since operated in a second "breach of contract" with regard to the Reconstruction Act and the 40 Acres and a Mule reparation for the first breach of contract of partnership at the Revolutionary War, thanks to the Democratic Party, which continues to facilitate the racially and economically motivated legal and judicial inequality that provokes crimes such as the ones Grayson is accused of, with the traditionally held belief that he would not face accountability for his actions, due to the breech of contract(s) which we continue to operate in.
Pretty important, critical questions that should be discussed publicly and transparently by the descendants of foundational Black and white Americans, who established the United States as a sovereign nation through bloodshed and battle together at the Revolutionary War, and who again reinstated that there would be no conquering—only partnership with one another in this geographical space—at the Civil War, and have since operated in a second "breach of contract" with regard to the Reconstruction Act and the 40 Acres and a Mule reparation for the first breach of contract of partnership at the Revolutionary War, thanks to the Democratic Party, which continues to facilitate the racial, legal, and judicial inequality that promotes crimes such as the ones Grayson is accused of, with the traditionally held belief that he would not face accountability for his actions.
And no one else—except these two populations which founded this nation during war by contract, and have already designated land and economic resolutions to Indigenous populations who contracted the limitation of reserved land for themselves—should be involved in this two-party conversation.
Native Americans (Black people), and African Americans who abandoned the colonists that brought them, to fight foundational Black and white Americans—to fight on America's side instead—did not contract reserved location by payment. They contracted freedom and equal partnership in this geographical space, with a payment of 40 Acres and a Mule for the first breach of contract to their ownership, as partners, in this nation.
We've been tolerating this constant criminality since the assassinations' of president Abraham Lincoln and its literally making everything horrible for every individual in the USA and economically limiting all of us globally. We don't have to continue like this, we can have safe geography, leadership and a justice system that functions properly for the health, wealth and longevity of Americans.
Really, critically examine traditions, which former Deputy Sean Grayson's legal defense team has chosen to highlight the "unusual" nature of.
Justice Beyond the Courtroom
A $10 million settlement was awarded just months after the shooting—a somber acknowledgement of loss, but not closure.
Meanwhile, reforms are underway:
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A Justice Department agreement mandates improved officer training—especially around de-escalation and handling individuals in crisis—and better use-of-force data collection.
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The Massey Commission has been formed to examine and address systemic racial bias and community mistrust in law enforcement.
Why This Matters
Sonya Massey was a mother. She reached out in fear—and paid the ultimate price. This case is a tragic reminder that:
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Accountability can't afford gaps—flaws in the system allow officers like Grayson to slip through the cracks.
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The Black community’s trust in law enforcement is fragile, especially when mental health crises are met with force rather than aid.
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Reform must be structural, not reactive—through transparent hiring, complete accountability, and oversight.
In Her Name
Let this story be more than another headline. Let it be a call to justice—for Sonya Massey, for all grieving families, and for a society determined to do better.
References
ABC7 Chicago. (2024, August 3). What to know about Sean Grayson, the deputy charged in the killing of Sonya Massey. https://abc7chicago.com/post/what-know-sean-grayson-deputy-charged-killing-sonya-massey/15090033/
AP News. (2024, July 31). The trial of an ex-deputy who shot an unarmed Black woman in her home is moved to another city. https://apnews.com/article/4a6b72d3327b99c7b9d2a0eed02817b4
AP News. (2025, February 8). US Justice Department, Illinois sheriff agree to policing upgrades after Sonya Massey shooting death. https://apnews.com/article/de573ecff10d3f75a5b93fc5bbccb07b
The Guardian. (2025, February 12). Family of Sonya Massey, killed by police in her home, receive $10m settlement. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/12/sonya-massey-shooting-family-settlement
NPR Illinois. (2024, September 5). Before killing Sonya Massey, Sean Grayson had a case thrown out after bringing charges with no evidence. Departments kept hiring him. https://www.nprillinois.org/sangamon-county/2024-09-05/before-killing-sonya-massey-sean-grayson-had-a-case-thrown-out-after-bringing-charges-with-no-evidence-departments-kept-hiring-him
People. (2024, July 24). Deputy who killed Sonya Massey claimed he thought she intended to kill him. https://people.com/deputy-who-killed-sonya-massey-claimed-he-thought-she-intended-to-kill-him-8690882
WSIU. (2024, September 5). Before killing Sonya Massey, Sean Grayson had a case thrown out after bringing charges with no evidence. Departments kept hiring him. https://www.wsiu.org/state-of-illinois/2024-09-05/before-killing-sonya-massey-sean-grayson-had-a-case-thrown-out-after-bringing-charges-with-no-evidence-departments-kept-hiring-him
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