20-year sentence for US deputy who shot dead black woman in her home
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Mother-of-two Sonya Massey was shot in the face by then deputy sheriff Sean Grayson after she called the police for help with a possible intruder in her home.
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- Sean Grayson, an ex-deputy, got 20 years for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, a Black woman, in her home in July 2024.
- Massey called 911 about a possible intruder; Grayson shot her after she said "I rebuke you," fearing a boiling pot.
- The shooting led to a US$10 million settlement and added to national debates on police reform after George Floyd's death.
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WASHINGTON - A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Jan 29 for the fatal shooting of a black woman inside her home, a case that drew national attention and calls for police reform.
Sean Grayson, 31, who is white, was found guilty in October of second-degree murder by a jury after two days of deliberations.
Grayson was charged with first-degree murder, which carried a potential life sentence, and second-degree murder for the July 2024 shooting of Ms Sonya Massey, 36, a mother of two.
The jury opted to convict him only of the lesser charge and Judge Ryan Cadigan sentenced Grayson to the maximum 20 years in prison on Jan 29 at a hearing attended by members of the Massey family, including her children.
Ms Massey’s shooting drew attention to police violence against African-Americans and prompted then-US president Joe Biden to say she “should be alive today.”
Ms Massey, who had received treatment in the past for mental health issues, had called the 911 emergency line to report a possible intruder in her home. Two Sangamon County sheriff’s deputies arrived shortly after midnight.
Police body camera footage showed Ms Massey talking to the officers and searching through her purse after they asked her for identification.
Grayson then asked her to check on a pot of boiling water on the stove, saying “we don’t need a fire while we’re here.”
Holding the pot, Ms Massey responded “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus” – prompting the deputy to draw his weapon and say: “You better f***ing not. I swear to God I’ll f***ing shoot you in your f***ing face.”
Apologising, Ms Massey crouched behind a counter as the officer screamed “drop the f***ing pot” and fired three shots, killing Ms Massey with a bullet to the face.
Grayson took the stand during his one-week trial and testified that he had felt threatened by the pot of boiling water Ms Massey was holding.
The Sangamon County Board approved a US$10 million (S$12.6 million) settlement with Ms Massey’s estate in 2025.
The US was rocked by protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd,
Mr Floyd’s death revived scrutiny of race relations and sparked nationwide calls for police reform. AFP
