The death in prison of the former Illinois sheriff’s deputy convicted of murder after fatally shooting Sonya Massey in her home “doesn’t feel like justice to me”, a cousin of the woman has said in an emotional statement.
asserted
cousin → convict → statement
“It doesn’t give Sonya back her life or return her back to her [two] children”, who were aged 15 and 17 at the time of the killing, Sontae Massey wrote in the statement on Monday.
asserted
Massey → give → Monday
Referring to Sonya Massey’s mother, the statement continued: “It doesn’t give my aunt back her daughter.
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It → refer → daughter
And it doesn’t give our family the accountability were still waiting for …
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it → give → accountability
That is the loss we are still living with.”
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we → live → ?
Sontae Massey’s statement provided a notable reaction to the death of the former Sangamon county deputy Sean Grayson, which was announced on Sunday by his attorney, Daniel Fultz.
Grayson, 32, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2023.
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Grayson → provide → 2023
The cancer had spread to his liver and lungs, according to his legal team, by the time of his sentencing in January, when he was given 20 years’ imprisonment for a second-degree murder conviction in connection with Massey’s killing.
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he → spread → killing
The Illinois prison review board in late July had denied Grayson a medical release that he requested.
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he → deny → that
At that proceeding, Sontae Massey spoke in opposition to the former deputy’s request, saying: “I’m not sure that I can write, speak or articulate anything that can encompass the devastation that Sean Grayson has created for our family.”
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Grayson → speak → family
Grayson, who was white, shot Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman, to death amid a 6 July 2024 encounter that was captured on body-worn camera video.
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that → shoot → video
The footage showed Grayson and another deputy enter Massey’s home in Springfield, Illinois, to investigate reports of a prowler that she had called in herself.
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she → show → that
At one point, Massey picked up a pot of boiling water from her stove, prompting Grayson to back away, according to court testimony.
uncertain
Massey → pick → testimony
Grayson later testified that he feared Massey would throw the boiling water on him after she twice said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
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I → testify → Jesus
He said he interpreted the remark to be a threat.
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he → say → remark
The body camera video showed Grayson then pointing his gun at Massey and threatening to shoot her.
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Grayson → show → her
On the video, she apologized and dropped to the floor – but he fired three times, striking her in the face and killing her.
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he → apologize → her
Jurors presiding over Grayson’s trial heard, among other things, that he declined to offer her first aid.
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he → preside → aid
The case prompted anti-racism protests and a federal justice department review.
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case → prompt → protests
And the Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, signed the Sonya Massey Act, a law requiring stricter background checks for policing hires.
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governor → sign → hires
Sangamon county officials also agreed in early 2025 to a $10m settlement for Massey’s family.
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officials → agree → family
In his statement after Grayson’s death, Sontae Massey wrote that his family had “been asked to carry more than most people can imagine today”, particularly Sonya’s mother, Donna.
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people → write → more
And Grayson’s death just six months into his sentence meant that “Aunt Donna … [is] being asked to absorb something else connected to the loss of her daughter”, Sontae Massey’s statement said.
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statement → mean → daughter
“I’ll be clear about this for myself, too,” he added.
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he → add → myself
“I’m angry.”
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I → ’m → ?
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