Sonya Massey 'needed a helping hand, not a bullet to the face,' attorney says

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - Sonya Massey, the Black woman who was fatally shot by a white sheriff's deputy earlier this month, was killed by a bullet that hit beneath her left eye, an autopsy released on Friday confirmed.

The harrowing details of the Massey case - a woman fatally shot in her home by police officers she called for help - have created national outrage. The chaotic and sometimes gruesome body camera video released to the public earlier this week have brought on calls for police reform and a federal investigation.

Massey, 36, was holding a pot of water inside her Springfield, Illinois, home on July 6 when Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean P. Grayson shot her, while responding to her call about a possible intruder. Grayson is charged with Massey's murder and pleaded not guilty.

Family members said on Friday that Massey had an encounter with police in her home the day before she was shot.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family while the Justice Department investigates, said at a news conference that Massey also drove herself to HSHS St. John's Hospital seeking help but had returned home later that day.

"She needed a helping hand, not a bullet to the face," Crump said.

Crump said previously that the case would "shock the conscience of America like the pictures of Emmett Till after he was lynched." The 1955 lynching of the 14-year-old in Mississippi helped galvanize the Civil Rights movement.

Crump added that the video would garner similar reactions to Laquan McDonald, who was shot by police 16 times in the back in Chicago in 2014, and George Floyd, who was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer during an arrest in 2020.

"It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional," Crump said. "This video is tragic in every sense."

'She’s done… that's a headshot'

According to court documents, Grayson had not activated his body-worn camera until the shooting but the other responding deputy — who has not been named — had his camera activated after arriving at Massey's home.

The video shows Grayson and the other deputy speaking calmly with Massey outside of her home after the two deputies searched the area outside. The two enter the residence and continue speaking with Massey, asking for her identification card.

Grayson then noticed the pot of boiling water and tells Massey to move it to avoid starting a fire, according to the footage. The deputies distance themselves from her as she moves the pot.

"Where you going?" she asks them.

"Away from your hot steaming water,” Grayson says while laughing before Massey responds: "Away from the hot steaming water? Oh, I’ll rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

"Huh?" Grayson says as Massey repeats "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."

"You better f***ing not or I swear to God I’ll f***ing shoot you in the f***ing face," the deputy responds before drawing his firearm.

Massey ducks and says, “I’m sorry," the video shows. Both deputies yell at her to drop the pot when three gunshots are heard in the video.

Grayson is then heard calling for EMS, reporting a headshot wound. A few seconds later, the other deputy says "I’m gonna go get my kit."

"She’s done. You can go get it, but that’s a headshot," Grayson responds.

Deputy who shot Massey has history of red flags

Crump said Friday that he was made aware of two unsubstantiated allegations of excessive force by Grayson. Both allegations, Crump said, predated Grayson's employment in Springfield.

Grayson, 30, who was fired by the department, worked for five different departments before coming aboard with Sangamon County in May 2023.

SONYA MASSEY:Sheriff's office knew about Sean Grayson's DUIs. Were there any other red flags?

Crump said he and his legal team have also talked to the U.S. Department of Justice about Grayson. An investigation into the case was opened earlier this week.

Grayson had a history of driving under the influence known to the sheriff's department, records show. He had two DUI charges, including one while he was enlisted in the Army. His personnel file listed "misconduct (serious offense)" as the reason he separated from the Army in 2016.

Massey's family didn't know who shot her for 24 hours

Crump said Massey's family didn't know until 24 hours after her death that the person who had shot her was a sheriff's deputy.

Massey's 18-year-old son, Malachi Hill, learned in graphic detail about his mother "but (police) never told him who," Crump said.

"The family's suspicious of everybody and everything. Wouldn't you be if this happened to your daughter? Your mother?"

Steven Spearie can be reached at sspearie@sj-r.com or on X @StevenSpearie.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY