*Sean Grayson will remain in prison after Illinois officials rejected his request for an early medical release, keeping in place the 20-year sentence he received for fatally shooting Sonya Massey inside her Springfield-area home.
The Illinois Prisoner Review Board unanimously voted Friday to deny Grayson’s application, according to The Guardian. The former sheriff’s deputy sought release after being diagnosed with colon cancer, which his attorney has said has spread to his liver and lungs.
Grayson was convicted in October 2025 of second-degree murder in the July 2024 killing of the 36-year-old Black woman. Jurors also found him guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. The case drew national attention after police body camera footage captured the final moments of the encounter.
Massey had called 911 to report a possible prowler near her home. When deputies Grayson and Dawson Farley arrived, the interaction appeared calm before escalating in the kitchen.
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As Massey referenced a pot of boiling water on the stove, she said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson responded by threatening her before firing three shots after Massey ducked behind a counter and raised her hands. One of the bullets struck her just below her left eye.
During the trial, Grayson testified that he believed Massey intended to throw the boiling water at him. Farley, however, told jurors he never believed Massey posed a threat and never drew his weapon. He also acknowledged that he had initially overstated the danger during the investigation.
Prosecutors had pursued a first-degree murder conviction, which carried a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. Instead, jurors convicted Grayson of second-degree murder, concluding the shooting met the legal standard for the lesser charge.
Following the verdict, civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci described the outcome as “a measure of justice,” while maintaining that a first-degree murder conviction would have been more appropriate.
Members of Massey’s family also voiced disappointment. Her cousin, Sontae Massey, criticized the verdict, while her daughter, Summer Massey, publicly called for first-degree accountability after the trial concluded.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Ex-Deputy Convicted in Sonya Massey Case After Fatal Shooting
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