Trial begins for former Illinois deputy accused of killing Sonya Massey

The trial of a former Illinois deputy who is accused of killing Sonya Massey began on Monday in Peoria, Illinois.

Massey, a Black 36-year-old mother of two, was fatally shot in July 2024 after calling authorities to her Springfield home over concerns about a prowler, officials said. Body camera footage shows two deputies responding to the incident, including then-Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson.

Grayson, who is white, shot Massey three times, saying in a report written after the incident that he feared bodily harm because she was holding a pot of boiling water and said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

Almost two weeks after Massey’s killing, Grayson was fired and charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery, and one count of official misconduct. He pleaded not guilty and was held in jail pending trial.

Grayson’s trial started on Monday morning with a jury selection. No cameras were allowed in the courtroom, and the trial is expected to last for one to two weeks.

The case ignited a national firestorm, prompting protesters across the country to call for justice for Massey, who suffered from mental health issues, according to her family. In February, Sangamon County officials agreed to pay a $10 million settlement to Massey’s family, a step their attorney, Ben Crump, called “only the first step in the journey for justice.”

In April, a judge granted a venue change for the trial from Sangamon County to Peoria after receiving a request from defense attorneys who said media coverage and the nature of the case have “shaped public perception, making it difficult to separate fact from speculation,” NBC Chicago reported.

A group of people gathered for a rally outside the Peoria County Courthouse on Monday morning, holding signs calling for justice for Massey. One sign read: “Unite Now Against Racist Violence.”

“No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police, ” the crowd chanted.

Keri Hayes, the racial justice committee chairwoman for the American Civil Liberties Union in Peoria, was one of the handful of people outside the courthouse.

“I really feel like it was a senseless slaying that happened, and I really want to see the police being held accountable,” she told NBC News.