Ex-cop convicted of Sonya Massey’s murder denied early prison release
The Illinois Prisoner Review Board has denied an early release request from Sean Grayson, a former deputy convicted of murdering Sonya Massey. Grayson, who is terminally ill, sought release under a medical act, but the board unanimously rejected the petition.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing issues regarding police accountability, racial justice, and the application of medical release laws for incarcerated individuals.
The Illinois Prisoner Review Board Friday denied a bid from a cancer-stricken former downstate sheriff’s deputy convicted of murdering an unarmed Black woman to be released from prison early.
Sean Grayson, who is white, is serving a 20-year-sentence for fatally shooting Springfield area resident Sonya Massey in her kitchen two years ago. And despite a jury finding him guilty of second degree murder, Grayson maintained in his petition for early release that the 36-year-old Massey “attacked him with a pot of boiling water” when he responded to her 911 call.
Without commenting on its decision, the three-person panel made up of two Republicans and one Democrat voted unanimously against setting Grayson free after deliberating for just 10 minutes. Neither Grayson, his legal team nor supporters were present.
In a news conference after the hearing, Massey’s family and friends celebrated the decision.
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