US Justice Department, Illinois sheriff agree to policing upgrades after Sonya Massey shooting death

[January 18, 2025]  By JOHN O'CONNOR

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department and a central Illinois sheriff's office on Friday announced a deal resolving an inquiry into violations of federal anti-discrimination law in the shooting death last summer of an unarmed Black woman in her home after she called 911 for assistance.

The memorandum of agreement stipulates that federal officials found no discriminatory practices by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office or the county's emergency dispatch operation surrounding the death of Sonya Massey. As part of the deal, local officials pledged a series of remedies, including more training and use-of-force data reporting. The alleged shooter, ex-deputy Sean Grayson, was fired and remains jailed facing a first-degree murder charge.

Here are questions and answers about the incident and investigation.

What prompted the Justice Department's investigation?

In the early morning hours of July 6, Massey, 36, called deputies to her Springfield home, saying she suspected a prowler. Grayson and another officer, both white, responded and entered her home to get information. Grayson pointed out a pan of boiling water on the stove, Massey retrieved it and joked with Grayson over his backing away from it, then told Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson yelled at her to drop the pot, and as she ducked, he fired three shots, striking her just below the left eye.

The Justice Department said in July it was “assessing” the circumstances surrounding the incident, but a county-created Massey Commission, whose co-chairpersons include Massey's cousin Shadia Massey, asked for federal intervention in October. A request from Washington for county records followed a month later.

“Their advocacy has ensured that our practices are aligned with the highest standards of fairness and justice,” Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said of the commission.

In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. Footage released Monday, July 22, by a prosecutor reveals a chaotic scene in which Massey, who called 911 for help, is shot in the face in her home by Grayson. (Illinois State Police via AP, File)

What did the investigation entail?

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division probed the county's compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Safe Streets Act of 1968, which generally prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. Because Massey's mental health issues were the subject of several 911 calls from herself and her mother in the days leading up to the shooting, officials reviewed the incident against the Americans with Disabilities Act's ban on bias in public services based on disabilities.

What else is in the memorandum of agreement?

Federal officials noted the “proactive” steps the county has taken in filing criminal charges against Grayson and forming the Massey Commission to address public outcry.

“This agreement reflects Sangamon County’s commitment to instituting reform and taking action that will help improve public safety and restore trust with the community in the road ahead," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said.

Also, the county must add training for deputies and dispatchers in nondiscriminatory policing, de-escalation techniques and dealing with behavioral health disabilities.

It must work with local health organizations to create a mobile crisis response unit from which mental health professionals can respond to crises and emphasize de-escalation over traditional police intervention.

Officials must beef up their collection and analysis of data on use-of-force incidents with priority given to interactions with people with disabilities, once again to ensure they meet current standards.

Local officials will review their policies and procedures to remove outdated tenets and expand community forums to hear from taxpayers.

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