Bodycam video of the deadly taking pictures of Sonya Massey was launched by Illinois State Police Monday afternoon, exhibiting a chaotic scene after a sheriff’s deputy shot Massey within the face throughout a tense second over a pot of water in her house.
Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson has pleaded not responsible to expenses of first-degree homicide, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He’s being held within the Sangamon County Jail whereas he awaits trial.
“(The video) goes to shock the conscience of America. It’s that mindless, that pointless, that unjustifiable, that unconstitutional,” civil rights legal professional Ben Crump stated. “This sheriff’s deputy was twice as massive as Sonya. Why would it’s important to use a gun to shoot her within the head?”
Authorities stated Massey, who’s Black, referred to as 911 within the early morning hours on Saturday, July 6, to report a suspected prowler outdoors her home in Springfield, Illinois.
Timeline of bodycam footage of Sonya Massey’s deadly taking pictures
First, bodycam video exhibits the deputies looking Massey’s property and taking particular curiosity in a automotive with damaged home windows. The deputies knock at the least 5 occasions and Massey involves the door. (Warning: Linked video comprises violent and delicate content material.)
Massey — a 36-year-old mom of two — will be heard mumbling one thing to Grayson, who responds: “Why would we harm you? You referred to as us.”
Grayson, who’s White, talks additional to Massey at her door and tells her no person was discovered close to her home. The opposite deputy’s bodycam is the one working.
This dialog wraps up a few minute later, because the deputies ask extra in regards to the automotive.
The deputy whose physique digital camera is working is then seen inspecting the automotive in Massey’s driveway as fireworks go off within the distance that July 4th weekend. That second deputy then enters the home, with Grayson already inside.
In the home, Massey is first seen sitting on her sofa, volunteering to offer the deputies some paperwork and in search of her ID. Grayson then notices a pot on the range, asks Massey to test on it, and offers her Massey permission to maneuver it. He says they do not want a fireplace in the home.
The video then exhibits Massey turning off the flame on the range and choosing up the pot.
“The place are you going?” Massey is heard saying.
“Away out of your sizzling, steaming water,” Grayson says.
“Away from my sizzling steaming water?” Massey appears to say within the video. “I rebuke you within the identify of Jesus.”
“What?” Grayson says.
“I rebuke you within the identify of Jesus,” Massey says.
“You’d higher f***ing not. I swear to God, I am going to f***ing shoot you proper in your f***ing face,” Grayson says.
He then raises his gun, described as a 9mm pistol, and yells at Massey to “drop the f***ing pot!”
Massey is seen apologizing and ducking for canopy, at which level Grayson shoots her, prosecutors stated. Three pictures are heard within the video.
Within the video, Massey could also be holding the pot of water above her head proper earlier than the pictures are fired.
Grayson didn’t activate his physique digital camera till after firing the pictures, Sangamon County State’s Lawyer John Milhiser contends. His physique digital camera video—seen on the finish of the clip launched by state police—exhibits his vantage level as he raises his weapon.
After the taking pictures, Grayson allegedly suggested his associate to not give medical assist to Massey due to the severity of her accidents. When the opposite deputy says he’s going to get his med equipment simply after the taking pictures, Grayson is heard saying: “She’s accomplished. You may go get it, however that is a headshot.”
Quickly after that, Grayson is heard saying to the opposite deputy: “What else can we do? I am not taking a pot of boiling water to the f***ing face, and it already reached us.” Grayson then leaves to get his med equipment, as the opposite officer says they will at the least attempt to cease Massey’s bleeding.
The opposite deputy is then seen tending to Massey. He supplied emergency help and stayed with Massey till medical professionals arrived.
As the opposite deputy offers assist, Grayson is heard speaking to somebody out of view of the digital camera, saying he had shot Massey.
“She had boiling water and got here at me with boiling water,” he’s heard saying. “She stated she was going to rebuke me within the identify of Jesus and got here at me with boiling water.”
Lawyer: Video exhibits Massey didn’t pose an inexpensive risk of hurt
Lawyer Craig Futterman, founding father of the Civil Rights and Police Accountability Undertaking on the College of Chicago, reviewed the deadly moments as documented on the bodycam video.
“A part of what’s instantly horrifying is that could be a state of affairs that simply did not have to occur,” he stated.
He stated Grayson’s protection will most likely be that he felt threatened for his life over the recent pot of water — particularly as a result of he stated Massey appeared to achieve for the pot once more after placing her fingers up. However there have to be an inexpensive risk, and Futterman stated didn’t see proof of any affordable risk.
“First, I noticed a girl who was clearly a little bit bit out of kinds, however did not look, and did not give off an look to any affordable that she posed a risk of hurt,” Futterman stated. “Would any affordable officer in that state of affairs moderately consider that their life is threatened, reminiscent of they might take out their gun and level it at her and threaten her life? It is a clear no.”
In reality, Futterman stated, law enforcement officials are educated to not let individuals go into their kitchens for a motive.
“In case you really feel that somebody is doubtlessly threatening, the place is the final place you inform them or enable them to go? The kitchen, as a result of guess what’s within the kitchen,” Futterman stated.
Not like the entrance space of the home the place Grayson was seen speaking to Massey, “Within the kitchen, you may have knives. You could have pans,” Futterman stated.
Futterman was additionally confused by officer Grayson’s tone, and the way he started utilizing profanity and warning her that he would shoot when she walked to the sink with the recent pot.
“The officer instantly grabbed his gun, and it escalated it went from zero to 100 like that,” he stated.
Futterman stated the occasion with the pot of water didn’t even warrant using a Taser, not to mention a gun.
Relations decry Massey’s demise upon video’s launch
On Monday afternoon, Massey’s father, James Wilburn, talked about seeing the video of what occurred.
“I sort of really feel watching, it is a dream; I’ll get up. However I simply do not know. I do not know what to say,” stated James Wilburn. “I noticed this occur within the George Floyd matter. I noticed this occur within the Breonna Taylor matter, and I needed to say to God, ‘Why me? Why my baby?'”
Wilburn stated he’s particularly appalled at what occurred given his personal former career.
“A few of my finest mates are in regulation enforcement. I am former regulation enforcement,” he stated, “so it is embarrassing.”
Wilburn additionally prompt Grayson may need believed he was proof against penalties for what occurred.
“An individual like that, due to his white privilege, it permits him to suppose he can do one thing like that and get away with it,” Wilburn stated.
Wilburn went on to say his daughter did have some psychological well being points and at one time sought assist.
“I believe that final phrases that my daughter stated to me was, ‘Daddy, I really like you.’ And to know and notice I will not see her once more, I can not discuss to her once more, I can not contact her once more,” Wilburn stated.
Talking late Monday after the movies have been launched publicly, Wilburn stated he was not initially informed a sheriff’s deputy shot and killed his daughter.
“By no means did they are saying that it was a deputy-involved taking pictures till my brother learn it on the web,” he stated.
In a timeline displayed earlier than the bodycam video, state police stated they have been notified of the taking pictures inside an hour. The bodycam footage was introduced to a grand jury in Sangamon County on Wednesday, July 17, and the grand jury returned an indictment towards Grayson that very same day, prosecutors stated.
An arrest warrant was additionally issued for Grayson this previous Wednesday, and he was taken into custody. Grayson was additionally fired final week. Grayson has labored for six completely different regulation enforcement companies since 2020, paperwork reviewed by CBS Information have revealed. His legal professional declined to remark.
The Massey household and Lawyer Ben Crump met with Gov. JB Pritzker in Springfield on Tuesday.
Illinois Lawyer Normal Kwame Raoul launched this assertion:
“The physique digital camera footage is horrific, and I supply my deepest sympathy to Sonya Massey’s household as they relive a second no household ought to expertise. Because the group reacts to the discharge of the footage, I urge calm as this matter works its method by way of the prison justice system.
“In Illinois we now have made certain that the regulation mandates unbiased investigations after officer concerned shootings. On this matter it seems that the investigation by the Illinois State Police and the next referral to the Sangamon County State’s Lawyer’s workplace have complied with the letter and spirit of the regulation by offering the suitable transparency and transferring towards accountability.”
Mr. Biden, who on Sunday introduced he wouldn’t search reelection within the 2024 presidential race, issued the next assertion after the discharge of the bodycam:
“Sonya Massey, a beloved mom, good friend, daughter, and younger Black girl, ought to be alive in the present day. Sonya referred to as the police as a result of she was involved a few potential intruder. Once we name for assist, all of us as People – no matter who we’re or the place we reside – ought to give you the chance to take action with out fearing for our lives. Sonya’s demise by the hands of a responding officer reminds us that each one too usually Black People face fears for his or her security in methods most of the remainder of us don’t.
“Sonya’s household deserves justice. I’m heartbroken for her kids and her total household as they face this unthinkable and mindless loss. Jill and I mourn with the remainder of the nation and our prayers are with Sonya’s household, family members, and group throughout this devastating time.
“I commend the swift actions that have been taken by the Springfield State’s Lawyer’s workplace. Whereas we look ahead to the case to be prosecuted, allow us to pray to consolation the grieving. Congress should move the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act now. Our basic dedication to justice is at stake.”