The civil proceedings in opposition to the Sangamon County, IL, Sheriff’s Division and Sangamon County for the capturing dying of Sonya Massey by then-Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson has resulted in a $10 million settlement over the tragic and deadly interplay. Ben Crump of Ben Crump Legislation and Antonio M. Romanucci of Romanucci & Blandin dealt with the case on behalf of the Massey household.
Accepted by the Sangamon County Board on February 11, 2025, the settlement was mediated by ADR Methods and the Honorable Decide Kay M Hanlon (Ret.).
Legal professional Crump, Legal professional Romanucci, and the household of Sonya Massey issued the next assertion:
“The settlement reached by civil attorneys for the mindless dying of Sonya Massey brings some measure of accountability and closure to those that liked her, however nothing can take away the persistent ache, frustration and grief brought on by her mindless dying,” it learn.
“The usage of lethal drive throughout that encounter is as beautiful as it’s deeply, deeply unhappy. It’s the hope of Sonya’s household that her dying can convey change and that the group will proceed to say her title, so nobody ever needlessly loses their life once more when all they’re asking for is assist.”
Along with the settlement, Illinois State Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Twenty seventh) launched the Sonya Massey Invoice HB3837 final week on the state’s Home flooring.
“It’s with an awesome sense of function that I’m happy to convey to the Illinois Home flooring HB3837, which seeks to make substantive change to how legislation enforcement candidates are reviewed earlier than they’re employed,” he acknowledged.
“The purpose is to make sure those that are employed meet affordable requirements and {qualifications} and that any issues about their skilled conduct at prior legislation enforcement departments or of their private lives are delivered to the floor. This sturdy course of is nothing in need of what our communities deserve in order that the correct persons are in these important public service roles. We do that in honor of Sonya Massey, so others like her won’t be senselessly harmed or killed, and finally, we will construct better belief between all residents of Illinois and legislation enforcement officers.”
On July 6, 2024, Massey known as the police to her residence in Springfield, Illinois, as she believed there was a prowler on the premises. Via what has been described as a sequence of chaotic occasions, Massey picked up a pot of boiling water and exchanged phrases with the 2 officers who arrived on the scene, together with Deputy Sean Grayson, who has been charged with firing the shot to the face that ended Massey’s life. From the time of the officers’ entry into Massey’s residence to her illegal homicide, the occasions all befell in a matter of 45 seconds.
Grayson has since been fired from the division and is charged with first-degree homicide for her dying. Many questions have been raised since Massey’s dying concerning the legislation enforcement hiring course of in Sangamon County. Grayson had two private DUI convictions, and a number of other skilled issues surfaced after the incident. Studies point out Grayson labored for six departments in 4 years earlier than being employed by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Division.
The $10 million settlement comes on what would have been Massey’s thirty seventh birthday.
“We’re grateful for Illinois State Senator Doris Turner (D48th), who represents Sonya’s district, for introducing SB1953 and for Illinois State Consultant Justin Slaughter, Chair of Judiciary-Legal Committee, for introducing HB3837 final week,” the Crump and Romanucci assertion continued.
“Each payments name for extra sturdy background checks and the better sharing of labor historical past and private historical past for candidates to legislation enforcement roles. It’s squarely within the public’s greatest curiosity that those that are sworn to guard and serve our communities be held to a fairly excessive normal earlier than being given a defend and a service weapon. Sonya’s household believes that the sort of background test would have raised quite a few issues concerning the officer who would later take her life, and in making a extra thorough hiring course of in Illinois that tragedies like Sonya’s may be prevented.”
