A former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy charged with murdering Springfield-area resident Sonya Massey last year took the witness stand Monday.
Sean Grayson is facing three counts of first degree murder for killing an unarmed Massey in her home after she called 9-1-1 for help.
Grayson testified that Massey was going to throw a pot of boiling water at him. He said he had ordered Massey to move the pot off her stovetop, to which Massey responded with, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson says he – quote – “matched the threat level, and the only thing that would have stopped the threat was my duty weapon”.
Donna Massey, Sonya’s mom, was sitting in the courtroom gallery.
She scoffed a couple of times during Grayson’s roughly 20-minute-long testimony.
The prosecution is arguing Grayson violated several de-escalation tactics, and killed Massey unlawfully.
The case is expected to go to the jury this week. The trial is being held in Peoria due to pre-trial publicity.
