A sheriff’s deputy charged with murdering Sonya Massey won’t be defended by the local police union. The sheriff is also under pressure from Massey’s family to resign.
These were significant developments in Massey’s case, which has caused national outrage and calls for better police training.
Attorney Ben Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking at a rally in Chicago, demanded that Sheriff Jack Campbell resign and that a new reform law be passed in Massey’s name. Campbell has apologized but said he won’t resign.
Sharpton compared this case to George Floyd’s, criticizing the government’s handling of such incidents.
Massey, 36, was shot in the face by Deputy Sean Grayson in her kitchen on July 6. Massey had called 911 about a possible intruder, and Grayson fired at her while she held a pot of boiling water.
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council initially represented Grayson but has now decided to stop. They expressed sympathy for Massey’s family.
The Justice Department’s session for the grieving community turned heated, with Sheriff Campbell asking for forgiveness but refusing to resign.
Grayson was fired and charged with murder, among other things. He has pleaded not guilty and is in jail without bond.
Sharpton and Crump are pushing for a new police reform law in Massey’s name, similar to the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. They argue that such a law would have prevented Grayson from being hired, as he had failed at several other law enforcement agencies.
Massey’s family attended the Chicago rally, with her uncle calling her a “beautiful Black queen.” Her mother, Donna Massey, spoke about Sonya’s mental health struggles and premonitions of her death.
Sonya’s son, Malachi, was the first to be notified about her death. The family initially didn’t know a deputy had shot her and learned this through the media.
Attorney Crump vowed to fight for justice, saying Sonya needed help, not a bullet.
Grayson has a troubled history, including two DUIs and misconduct in the Army. He worked for six different law enforcement agencies in four years, with supervisors noting issues like lying and bullying.