Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 to report a possible prowler outside her home.
Tag: Sonya Massey
Posted inAfro Briefs
Jurors convict Illinois deputy of killing Sonya Massey but can’t agree on first-degree murder charge
An Illinois jury convicted former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson of second-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 for help. Grayson, who claimed he feared being scalded with hot water, was acquitted of first-degree murder, angering Massey’s family and supporters who say the verdict shows the justice system’s failure to protect Black lives.
Posted inStop Killing Us
What to know about the murder trial of an Illinois sheriff deputy who killed Sonya Massey
By John O’connor A jury was seated Oct. 20 in the murder trial of an Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman shot in her home last year after calling police for help. Opening statements took place on Oct. 22 in the case against Sean Grayson after a jury of 10 […]
Posted inUncategorized
Justice Department demands records from Illinois sheriff after July killing of woman
The U.S. Justice Department is demanding records related to the shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman killed by a sheriff’s deputy, in order to investigate how local authorities treat Black residents and people with behavioral disabilities.
Posted inDMV News
Hot off the press: News impacting the Black community in D.C., Maryland and Virginia area
Dominique Dawes was honored with a statue at the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center, while the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair celebrates its 75th anniversary with a variety of entertainment and activities, and D.C. activists led a protest demanding justice for Sonya Massey, who was shot and killed by former Deputy Sheriff Sean Grayson.
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: What the killing of Sonya Massey says about policing and the state of Black people in America
The killing of Sonya Massey by a police officer in her home highlights the societal dehumanization and normalization of violence against Black people, and the need for community control of law enforcement to punish officers who harm people in the community.
Posted inNational News
Project FREEDOM unveiled to combat controversial project
Project FREEDOM, a new strategy to engage Black voters in four key battleground areas, aims to provide a policy agenda for Democrats ahead of the November election, focusing on four pillars of freedom to live, learn, vote, and thrive.
Posted inNational News
Autopsy confirms Sonya Massey died from gunshot wound to head, as attorney calls shooting senseless
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot in her Illinois home by a now-fired sheriff’s deputy charged with her death, and autopsy findings confirm that she died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Family speaks after release of police body cam footage in Sonya Massey killing
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, was fatally shot by Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson inside her home on July 6, sparking national outrage and calls for the passage of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.