Trial to begin Monday for deputy charged with killing Sonya Massey

PEORIA, Ill. (WGN) — The trial for the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy accused of the murder of Sonya Massey will start on Monday.

Bodycam footage will take center stage in the trial, which will take place in a Peoria County courtroom.

Outside the courthouse, security will be right in anticipation of protests and national media coverage.

“We’ve been planning since April for this to make sure everyone is safe. There’s a lot of logistics that come into play with this,” Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins said.

Jury selection will begin Monday morning for the trial of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson.

Grayson is charged with first-degree murder, battery and misconduct in connection with the shooting of Sonya Massey.

On July 6, 2024, Grayson and a fellow deputy responded to Massey’s 911 call reporting a suspected prowler outside her Springfield-area home.

The situation escalated when Massey appeared to have trouble answering the deputy’s questions.

Body camera footage shows Grayson shooting Massey, a Black woman, in the head after she moved a pot of boiling water from her stove.

In April, a judge moved the trial to Peoria after Grayson’s defense team argued he could not get a fair and impartial trial in Sangamon County.

Prosecutors will argue Massey posed no threat and the use of force was unjustified. Grayson’s attorney will argue it was self-defense and Massey was the aggressor.

The judge ruled the defense cannot bring up Massey’s mental health prior to the 911 call.

Also, jurors will not hear about Grayson’s 2016 discharge from the army for misconduct, DUIs on his record and complaints from civilians.

Grayson’s trial could last up to two weeks.