Sonya Massey could have been saved after Sean Grayson shot her at home, court hears: Trial Day 4 recap
Ex-sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson is facing murder charges after he shot Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old single mother of two teenagers who called 911 over a suspected prowler
The second day of testimony has ended in the trial of ex-sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who faces murder charges for fatally shooting a Black woman in her Illinois home after she called 911 for help.
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old single mother of two teenagers, called emergency responders on July 6, 2024, over a suspected prowler on her property in Springfield. Grayson, a Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy at the time, responded to the scene with his partner, Dawson Farley. Body camera footage shows Grayson firing at Massey after telling her to drop a pot of hot water.
Dr. Nathaniel Patterson, a forensic pathologist with the Sangamon County Coroner's office, testified Thursday that Massey could have survived the gunshot wound if medical aid had been given soon afterward and the bleeding had been controlled, according to WICS. He also said it’s true that some people still die after receiving medical treatment for a cut internal carotid artery.
Expert witness Louis Dekmar, a retired police chief from LaGrange, Georgia, also told the court that he reviewed body camera footage of the shooting. Dekmar testified he did not see any threatening behavior from Massey before Grayson pointed his gun at her, according to WICS.
Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder.
Recap: What to know about Sean Grayson's trial so far
The second day of testimony has ended in the murder trial of Sean Grayson, an ex-sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey in her Springfield, Illinois, home last year after she called 911 about a potential prowler.
Forensic pathologist Nathaniel Patterson testified Thursday that Massey could have survived her gunshot wound if medical aid had been given soon afterward and the bleeding had been controlled, according to WICS. Patterson also said some people still die after receiving medical treatment for a cut internal carotid artery.
This comes after Dawson Farley, a sheriff’s deputy who responded to Massey’s home with Grayson, testified about the incident on Wednesday. Farley said Grayson told him first aid wasn’t necessary because Massey had been shot in the head, according to WAND News. Farley noted that he rendered first aid and later heard a sergeant, who arrived after the shooting, say nothing could be done. Massey was still breathing as this happened, Farley reportedly testified.
The court also heard testimony from expert witness Louis Dekmar, a retired police chief from LaGrange, Georgia, on Thursday. Dekmar said he determined Massey did not show threatening behavior before Grayson drew his weapon, according to WICS. Dekmar also testified that he determined Grayson did not apply crisis intervention training tactics and violated department policies, WICS reports.
Court ends
Court has ended for the day, and this live blog is now paused.
Opening statements to begin in the murder trial of Sonya Massey
Opening statements are due to begin in the trial of an Illinois police officer who fatally shot a Black woman in her own home, after she called 911 for help.
Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old single mother of two teenagers, called emergency responders on July 6 2024 over a suspected prowler at her property in Springfield – and killed following an apparent misunderstanding over a hot pan of water.
Sean Grayson, 31, a former deputy for the Sangamon County Sheriff's Department in central Illinois, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder over the incident.
Grayson, who is white has pleaded not guilty to all three counts.
Follow along with The Independent’s live coverage here.
Jurors sworn in earlier this week
The jury — which is made up of 10 women and five men, including three alternates – was sworn in earlier this week.
They’ll be hearing testimony over the next week and a half. Opening statements are set to begin later this morning.
Watch: Body camera footage shows moments before Sonya Massey was killed
Lesser charges against Sean Grayson dropped
Sean Grayson, the 31-year-old former deputy on trial for Sonya Massey’s murder, was initially charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct.
However, a judge agreed to drop the aggravated battery and official misconduct charges on Tuesday, CBS Chicago reports. Grayson will now be tried only on three counts of first-degree murder.
He has pleaded not guilty.
Sonya Massey's family arrives in court
Thirteen of Sonya Massey’s friends and family members have arrived in court, according to local media outlet WICS.
This group includes her mother, Donna Massey, and her aunt, Ramona Massey.
Nine of Sean Grayson’s family and friends have also arrived.
Judge and jury enter courtroom
Judge Ryan Cadagin and the jury have entered the courtroom, according to local media reports.
Opening statements are set to begin shortly.
Prosecution gives opening statement
Sangamon County State Attorney John Milhiser has started his opening statement.
Milhiser walked the jury through a timeline of the shooting and explained the first-degree murder charges against Sean Grayson, according to local outlet WICS.
Defense gives opening statement
Sean Grayson’s defense attorney, Daniel Fultz, is addressing the jury now, according to WICS.
"There is no crime if you decide the shooting was lawful,” he told the jury.
Fultz addressed the pot of hot water Sonya Massey was handling moments before she was killed.
Body camera footage from that night shows Grayson ordering Massey to remove a pot of hot water from her stove.
When Grayson moved away, Massey asked him why. He said that he was trying to avoid the hot water, and Massey responded: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson later said he interpreted this to mean “she was going to kill me,” according to the Associated Press.
Grayson then told Massey to drop the pot. She put the pot down and apologized, but appeared to pick it up again in the confusion as Grayson shouted, the AP reports. Shortly afterward, Grayson fired three shots at Massey.