Police Accountability on the Line: Two Years After Sonya Massey

Daily Intel Report 7/13/22 | Listen Free 🎧 | Join the Effort 🫱🏻‍🫲🏾

Two years ago this month, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother of two, called 911 for help and was shot in the face by a White sheriff’s deputy in her own kitchen. Her killer, Sean Grayson, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison — the maximum possible. But accountability advocates say the work is far from over. Two major fact-finding reports released in the past year have concluded that Illinois law enforcement agencies are “falling short” on delivering equitable, accountable and transparent policing — and the federal legislation that could address these issues nationwide remains stalled in Congress.

The Case That Shook the Nation

In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Sonya Massey called 911 from her Springfield, Illinois, home to report a possible prowler. Two deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded. After searching the property, they were let inside by Massey.

Body camera footage released days later showed what happened next. Massey, who had a history of mental health challenges, was sitting on her couch and got up to remove a pot of boiling water from the stove. She told the officers, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Grayson warned her she “better not,” threatening to shoot her in the face.

Seconds later, he drew his weapon, demanding she put down the pot of water. After a verbal exchange, Massey set the pot down and ducked behind a counter, but appeared to pick it up again. That’s when Grayson fired multiple shots, striking Massey in the face.

After firing the fatal shot, body camera footage captured Grayson calling Massey an expletive slur, according to the NAACP.

Donna Massey, Sonya’s mother, had called 911 the day before, telling dispatchers her daughter was having a mental breakdown but wasn’t dangerous. “I don’t want you guys to hurt her. Please,” she pleaded. Her plea went unheeded.

The Path to Accountability

Grayson, who was hired by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in May 2023, was fired shortly after the shooting. But his history of misconduct predated his hiring:

He was discharged from the U.S. Army for “misconduct (serious offense)”
He had two DUIs — one in August 2015 and another in July 2016
In his law enforcement career, he had six jobs in four years before joining Sangamon County

Despite this record, he was hired and armed.

In October 2025, a jury found Grayson guilty of second-degree murder — a lesser charge than first-degree murder, which carried a sentence of 4 to 20 years.

On January 29, 2026, Judge Ryan Cadagin sentenced Grayson to the maximum 20 years in prison. During the hearing, Grayson apologized: “I made a lot of mistakes that night. There were points when I should’ve acted, and I didn’t. I froze. I made terrible decisions that night. I’m sorry.”

Massey’s family was not satisfied. “Twenty years is not enough,” her daughter Summer told reporters. Her mother, Donna Massey, spoke of the lasting trauma: “Today, I’m afraid to call the police in fear that I might end up like Sonya.”

The family also secured a $10 million settlement with Sangamon County, equally divided between Massey’s two children.

Systemic Failures: Two Reports, One Conclusion

Two years after Massey’s death, two major fact-finding reports have concluded that Illinois law enforcement agencies are “falling short on delivering equitable, accountable and transparent policing.”

The SAFE-T Act Policing Workgroup Report (April 2026)

In 2021, Illinois passed the SAFE-T Act, one of the most comprehensive police accountability statutes in the country. The legislation included reforms such as requiring body-worn cameras and creating a process to decertify officers with patterns of misconduct.

But in April 2026, a broad group of experts, advocates, and researchers found that full implementation had not been achieved by any of the law’s policing provisions that the group examined.

Critically, the report found that there was not a process in place to decertify officers — meaning officers with misconduct records could continue to be hired by other agencies. This was precisely what happened with Sean Grayson, who had a lengthy misconduct record from previous departments.

The Massey Commission Report

Following Massey’s death, the Massey Commission was formed to explore not only the failure of the law’s implementation but also the racial context in which it occurred.

The commission examined what it called the “legacies of racial exclusion” and the failure to address disparities in basic human needs between races. It made recommendations on policing but went “much deeper” by exploring the systemic racism that has for too long characterized law enforcement operations.

As the Chicago Tribune editorial board noted, these two reports “expose the failings of our state to engage in serious reform or grapple with the racial and systemic inequities that manifest in law enforcement operations.”

The Federal Response: Stalled Justice

In response to Massey’s death, President Joe Biden and then-Vice President Kamala Harris called on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The legislation would:

Strip law enforcement of qualified immunity
Create a national registry of police misconduct complaints
Declare prohibitions for law enforcement profiling
Limit the transfer of military-grade equipment to state and local law enforcement
Restrict funds from agencies that do not prohibit chokeholds

But the bill has languished for years amid wide partisan differences.

On July 1, 2026, civil rights leaders renewed their call for the House to pass the bill. Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, said: “The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is focused, first and foremost, on addressing the regime of impunity that has allowed police officers for decades to kill innocent Black men, women, and children without accountability.”

Marc H. Morial, President & CEO of the National Urban League, added: “Now it’s time for Congress to pass the Justice in Policing Act to ensure that no person under color of law can act unilaterally as cop, judge, jury, and executioner in this country.”

If Congress fails to act, Ifill warned, “it will prove Derek Chauvin right. It will reinforce that in encounters with Black people, law enforcement officers are above the law.”

What Comes Next

State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) has been clear that the legal conclusion of Grayson’s case is not the end: “The work is not done by any stretch of the imagination. While the legal part is over, we still have the community repair that we will continue to work on.”

Turner said she has already had conversations with federal partners about how local reforms could serve as a national model.

One of those reforms is Sonya Massey’s Law, signed by Governor JB Pritzker in August 2025 and effective January 1, 2026. The legislation requires law enforcement agencies to conduct deeper reviews of officers’ prior employment before hiring — a direct response to Grayson’s hiring despite his history of misconduct and job-hopping.

Turner is also pushing for the creation of a Mental Health Board in Sangamon County, which would oversee funding and services for mental health care and crisis intervention — topics that have been at the forefront of discussions following Massey’s death.

The Bottom Line

Two years after Sonya Massey called 911 for help and was shot in her own kitchen, justice has been partially served — her killer is in prison for the maximum sentence. But the systemic failures that allowed him to be hired, armed, and sent to her door remain unaddressed.

Two major reports have concluded that Illinois is falling short on police accountability. The SAFE-T Act’s policing provisions remain largely unimplemented. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act — the federal legislation that could address these issues nationwide — remains stalled in Congress.

Sonya Massey’s family continues to fight. Civil rights leaders continue to demand action. But the people must also pay attention. The people must speak out. And the people must vote.

What You Can Do Right Now

Learn About Police Accountability in Your Community. Research your local police department’s use-of-force policies, disciplinary records, and body-worn camera protocols. Attend city council and police commission meetings. Ask questions. Demand transparency.

Contact Your Members of Congress. Tell them to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. This legislation has languished for years while Black and Brown communities continue to be killed by police with impunity. Your voice matters.

Support State-Level Reform. In Illinois, the SAFE-T Act’s policing provisions remain largely unimplemented. Contact your state legislators and demand they fully fund and enforce the law’s accountability measures, including the decertification process for officers with misconduct records.

Support Mental Health Crisis Response. Massey was experiencing a mental health crisis when she called 911. Support the creation of mental health boards and crisis intervention teams that can respond to emergencies without armed officers.

Talk to Your Neighbors. Many people don’t know about the systemic failures that led to Sonya Massey’s death. Spread the word. Make sure everyone understands what’s at stake.

Support the Fight For the People PAC. Support Democrats at every level of government who will fight for police accountability, criminal justice reform, and an economy that works for everyone. Sign up to volunteer and chip in whatever you can at fightforthepeoplepac.com and/or democrats.org. Join the effort for a better America. Be the voice.

Sources

Chicago Tribune: “Advocates: Two years after Sonya Massey’s death, Illinois police struggle to implement SAFE-T Act provisions” (July 8, 2026)
Vox: “What we know about the police killing of Sonya Massey” (July 25, 2024)
Associated Press: “A former Illinois deputy is sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya Massey” (January 29, 2026)
The State Journal-Register: “Gov. Pritzker signs ‘one-of-a-kind’ legislation in Sonya Massey Act” (August 12, 2025)
NPR Illinois: “Massey Commission releases its final report” (December 4, 2025)
National Urban League: “Civil Rights Leaders Call On Congress To Pass George Floyd Justice In Policing Act” (July 1, 2026)
NAACP: “NAACP Mourns the Loss of Sonya Massey, Killed by Illinois Deputy” (July 24, 2024)
Courthouse News: “A former Illinois deputy is sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing Sonya Massey” (January 29, 2026)
NBC News: “Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy sentenced to 20 years for murder of Sonya Massey” (January 29, 2026)
The New York Times: “Former Deputy Sentenced to 20 Years in Fatal Shooting of Sonya Massey” (January 29, 2026)
ABC7 Chicago: “Former Deputy Sean Grayson sentenced to 20 years in murder of Sonya Massey” (January 29, 2026)
WCIA: “Massey family reacts to 20-year sentence for Sean Grayson” (January 29, 2026)
WCIA: “Massey Commission publishes final report” (December 4, 2025)
Newschannel20: “Massey Commission outlines future actions in final report” (December 9, 2025)

Written and composed with AI.