PEORIA, Ill. – The second week of the Sean Grayson murder trial begins with the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy taking the stand.
Grayson is charged with First Degree Murder in the death of Sonya Massey July of last year, after he and another officer responded to a call at her Springfield home to investigate a “prowler.”
The trial venue was shifted to Peoria from Springfield earlier this year.
25 News reports Grayson testified that he was nearly complete with a traffic stop before the call to Massey’s house. He says he was there previously, as the county responded to a lot of calls in unincorporated Springfield. In addition, Grayson testified that the area, nicknamed the “Cabbage Patch,” was a high-crime area with home invasions, stabbings, and shootings.
Grayson testified that he believed there might have been something else to the “prowler” call, with the call coming from the “Cabbage Patch” and a damaged vehicle in Massey’s driveway. He says he radioed for Deputy Dawson Farley about making contact with Massey because of her car, as well as checking the perimeter of the house. Grayson added that he heard someone inside her home talking and was concerned someone had made it inside, worried that someone was harming her.
Grayson continued to testify that he believed Massey was under the influence, based on her behavior. He asked about the damage to the vehicle, with Massey reportedly saying it came from earlier.
Grayson told the court that he initially did not see the pot of water on the stove when he first walked in. He testified that Massey was being cooperative, but appeared scatterbrained.
Grayson stated that he heard the pot of water boiling on the stove, then noticed it turned red, like it was on for a long time. He says Massey jumped up quickly and to the kitchen, like she had forgotten she was cooking something. Grayson told the court that he did not see any good out or any cooking material, which concerned him.
Grayson testified that Massey reportedly turned the faucet on but never filled the pot up, and noticed she was wearing over mitts, which he says made him believe the pot was very hot.
Grayson then told the court that he and Farley began to step back and told Massey they were backing away from the hot steaming pot of water when she asked where they were going. He says he was not angry but concerned before she reportedly said “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
Grayson testified that raised a lot of concerns for him, thinking she was about to throw boiling water on him. He added that he was trained at the sheriff’s office to use a level of force to gain compliance, but says Massey appeared stern and meant what she was saying.
Grayson says he and Farley drew their weapons when she repeated “I rebuke you” because he believed that was the only way to stop a threat. He says a taser would not have been a good option with her layer of clothing, and the possibility of the taser malfunctioning.
Grayson testified that he warned Massey he would use his weapons if she did not comply. He says Massey then went to the ground behind the cabinets, and approached to make sure she didn’t have another weapon, as well as to arrest her for aggravated assault against a police officer.
Grayson says Massey said she was sorry and believed she was going to stay on the ground. But he testified that Massey grabbed the pot of water, raised it over her head, and began to throw it at him, at which point he discharged his weapon.
During cross-examination, Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser told Grayson that he did not put in his report that he told Massey that “You better f***ing not or I’ll shoot you in your f***ing face.” Grayson testified that he did, but Milhiser said no and showed him.
Milhiser says the information about placing Massey in handcuffs was new information and not in the report, to which Grayson said it was.
Grayson’s defense team asked him if he reviewed body camera footage before making the report on July 9th. Grayson testified that he did, but did not think to put everything in. Defense attorney Daniel Fultz compared that to Farley’s testimony, who he says changed his story later, but Grayson did not.
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