The murder trial of Sean Grayson, a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged in the killing of Sonya Massey, opened this week in Peoria, Illinois. According to NBC News, Grayson is accused of fatally shooting Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother of two, inside her Springfield home last July after she called authorities about a possible intruder.

Body camera footage showed Grayson and another deputy arriving at Massey’s home. Moments later, Grayson fired three shots, claiming he feared for his safety because Massey held a pot of boiling water and said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” The coroner later confirmed she died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Grayson, who is white, was fired less than two weeks after the incident and charged with first-degree murder. Prosecutors later dropped the lesser counts of aggravated battery and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and has remained in custody while awaiting trial.

Court proceedings began this week with a jury of 10 women and five men sworn in. Cameras were barred from the courtroom. Grayson appeared in a navy suit and striped tie as Massey’s father, James Wilburn, watched from the gallery.

In a statement, attorneys for Massey’s family said they remain “fiercely committed” to attending every day of the trial and “continuing the hope for full justice.” 

Massey’s death drew national outrage. The incident also inspired reforms in Illinois requiring more transparency about law enforcement applicants’ disciplinary records. Earlier this year, officials in Sangamon County approved a $10 million settlement for Massey’s family — a move civil rights attorney Ben Crump called “only the first step in the journey for justice.”

Grayson’s legal team successfully sought to relocate the trial from Sangamon County to Peoria, arguing that local media coverage and public attention made an impartial jury impossible. Most jurors acknowledged awareness of the case but said they could remain fair.

In addition to the criminal proceedings, the family continues to advocate for legislative change. As reported by BET, attorney Antonio Romanucci has urged lawmakers to create a national database tracking misconduct by law enforcement officers. He said the registry should include red flags such as DUIs, reckless driving, or excessive force — incidents that might otherwise go unnoticed when officers move between departments.

Grayson’s own record included an Army discharge for serious misconduct and two prior misdemeanor DUI convictions in Illinois, according to court documents.