White Jury Rejects White Cop's Testimony BUT Lets Him Off the Hook: Guilty of 2nd Degree Murder, Not Guilty on 3 Counts of 1st-Degree Murder Despite Intentionally Shooting Sonya Massey in the Face

From [HERE] An overwhelmingly white jury found white Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson guilty of second-degree murder for the fatal police shooting of Sonya Massey.

Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 2024 deadly police shooting, and the jury was given the option of convicting him of second-degree murder. They found him not guilty on all three counts of first-degree murder, sparing him a possible life sentence for killing Massey, a 36-year-old unarmed Black woman.

The jury alerted the judge that they had reached a verdict around 2 p.m.  It was read at 2:28 p.m.

The jury was made up of 11 white people and 1 black person - nine men, and three women. [MORE]

Grayson was stoic as the verdict was read. Afterward, he stood from the table, put his hands to be handcuffed, and was led out of the courtroom through the back door. His sentencing date has been set for Jan. 29 in Sangamon County court. 

One of Grayson's family members was seen crying in the courtroom when the verdict was read. 

Massey's family, by contrast, was quiet and appeared deflated or upset as the second-degree conviction was handed down. They spoke after court adjourned, and called the conviction a miscarriage of justice.

"I am fueled by rage right now," said Sontae Massey. "You get an officer who says, 'I'm going to shoot you in the face' and you only get second-degree murder. The justice system did what it's supposed to do; it's not meant for us." [MORE]

"He told my child he would shoot her in the F-ing face and he did it. And all we got was a second-degree murder conviction out of this?" said Massey's father, James Wilburn.

"He was in six police departments in three and a half years. That is shameful," he said.

CBS News Chicago legal expert Irv Miller said the jury's verdict was not particularly surprising, considering the evidence presented at trial and the fact that the judge gave the option for second degree murder in the first place. 

Miller explained that by finding Grayson guilty of second-degree murder, the jury determined that as a police officer he had an unreasonable belief that he was acting in self-defense when he opened fire on Massey. In this case, Miller said, whether or not Grayson's belief he was acting in self-defense was reasonable was pivotal; if a jury had found it was a reasonable belief, he would have been found not guilty. Since the jury found his belief was not reasonable, they found him guilty of second degree murder. 

Grayson, who was a Sangamon County sheriff's deputy in Illinois at the time of the shooting, claimed he was defending himself from Massey, who had called police to check on a suspected prowler. Grayson said that inside the home, Massey acted erratically and rebuked him "in the name of Jesus" while walking toward a pot of water on her stove.

He testified that he viewed Massey's pot of boiling water as a threat and was trained to use force to gain compliance. 

Grayson then testified he closed the distance between himself and Massey to “gain a direct line of sight on her,” and that he intended to arrest her for aggravated assault on an officer. That’s when, Grayson said, Massey jumped up, grabbed the pot of water and made a throwing motion at him. Grayson then fired three times at Massey, one bullet striking her just under her left eye.

However, body-worn camera footage introduced by prosecutors in the trial showed Massey had already removed the pot when Grayson said he would “shoot her in her f***ing face,” and pointed his gun at her. Massey then put her hands in the air, said, “I’m sorry,” and ducked behind her counter.

Prosecutors said Grayson failed to render medical aid to Massey right after the shooting. 

Miller said he expects whatever sentence is handed down, Grayson will be expected to serve at least 50% of it. While probation is an option, Miller said he wouldn't expect that sentence in this case. 

Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent the Massey family in their civil lawsuit, issued a statement after the verdict, saying in part, "While we believe Grayson's actions deserved a first-degree conviction, today's verdict is still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey. Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost. We will continue to fight for Sonya's family and for reforms that protect everyone from unlawful use of force."

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 29. [MORE]