Former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson should be freed pending his trial, the Fourth District Appellate Court ruled Wednesday.
Grayson has been in custody after his arrest on first degree murder charges for shooting Sonya Massey in her home this summer. Massey, a Black woman, was shot in the face by Grayson after she had called to report a prowler.
Since Massey's death, the case gained worldwide attention. It has led to more focus on police hiring and training. Reports have shown past employers raised concerns about Grayson's police work. The Sangamon County Sheriff who hired him. Jack Campbell, resigned under pressure.
There is no timetable for Grayson’s release, but a hearing in the case was already set for Monday morning. More details could be announced then.
It is expected he could go on trial next year.
Grayson has been jailed, first in Menard County and now in Macon County. Officials said keeping him out of Sangamon County was done for his safety.
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser issued the following statement after the court decision:
“The Fourth District Appellate Court on November 27, 2024 issued an Order directing Sean Grayson be released from custody with conditions. I spoke to the family of Sonya Massey today after the opinion was released and told them that the Sangamon County State's Attorney's Office remains committed to seeking the continued pretrial detention of Sean Grayson. Defendant Grayson has demonstrated that he cannot comply with conditions and is a danger to the community after his inexcusable actions on July 6, 2024 when he shot Sonya Massey.”
“The SAFE - T Act has made it less safe in communities across Illinois. Under the short time-frame required under the Act, we filed a Petition to Detain Sean Grayson, including relevant available information, and made appropriate arguments at the hearing. We agree with the Circuit Court's determination that Defendant Grayson poses a threat to the community that cannot be mitigated with conditions and he should be detained while his case progresses. We will be filing a Petition for Leave to Appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court asking them to review the appellate court decision. We will also immediately be filing a Request to Stay the Mandate pending the appeal to the Supreme Court and ask that Defendant Grayson remain detained.“
