DOJ opens civil rights probe of Illinois sheriff's office after death of Sonya Massey
The Justice Department is investigating an Illinois county sheriff's office after a former deputy fatally shot a Black woman in her home, sparking national outcry and renewed calls for police reform.
A scathing Justice Department letter dated Thursday to Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch and other county officials said the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey earlier this year "raises serious concerns about (the sheriff department's) interactions with Black people and people with behavioral health disabilities," along with a host of practices and procedures.
The letter also says that the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has reviewed information alleging that the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sangamon County, and Sangamon County Central Dispatch System may be in violation of federal anti-discrimination laws.
Nationally renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey's family, said in July weeks after Massey was killed that the Justice Department was investigating the shooting but did not have additional details about the scope of the probe. The Justice Department in its eight-page letter asks for the county's cooperation in providing records in nearly 30 different areas.
In addition to all records related to the shooting of Massey, the Justice Department's information requests encompass how the sheriff's office responds to mental health crises, its hiring practices, the racial makeup of people in traffic stops and use-of-force incidents, the office's handling of past discrimination complaints, and more.
Crouch, in a statement released Friday, said her office "pledged full cooperation with the Department of Justice in its review."
DOJ: Sonya Massey killing indicates 'possible issues'
On July 6, then-Deputy Sean Grayson fatally shot 36-year-old Massey after she called 911 about a possible intruder. Grayson was fired from the department soon after and is in jail on murder charges. He has pleaded not guilty and said he acted in self-defense. The Justice Department's letter said its probe is outside of the ongoing criminal prosecution of Grayson.
The shooting and prior 911 calls involving Massey in the days before her death indicate "possible issues" with Sangamon County, the sheriff's department and the sheriff's department emergency response and dispatch system, the Justice Department's letter said.
Sonya Massey's mother, Donna Massey, called 911 the day before the shooting and said her daughter was having a "mental breakdown." Springfield police responded because Donna Massey's home was within the city. Sonya Massey's home is in an unincorporated part of Woodside Township, so officers from another department, the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, responded to her call the next day.
The Justice Department also said it has reviewed reports on the sheriff's office employment practices, "including allegations that a lack of racial diversity at (the department) impacts (its) provision of policing services in communities of color."
Grayson's hiring process has been brought into question. His criminal history shows he had two DUIs and a questionable discharge from the military. Grayson had also been with six different law enforcement agencies within four years.
Body-worn camera video shows fatal shooting
Grayson was one of two Sangamon County deputies who responded to Massey’s house around 12:50 a.m. on July 6.
Body-worn camera footage shows Massey holding a pot in the kitchen as the two officers stand a few feet away with a kitchen counter separating them. As Massey picks up the pot, she says the words that Grayson claims made him fear for his life: "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus."
Dropping his hand to his gun, Grayson responds: “You better f------ not or I swear to God I'll f------ shoot you right in your f------ face.”
The video shows Grayson pointing his gun at Massey and screaming at her to drop the pot. Massey ducks as she says "I'm sorry" before Grayson fires at her three times, including a fatal bullet to her head.
1,045 people killed by police in 2023
Human rights advocates have for years documented excessive use of force by law enforcement in the nation, and data shows the United States far outpaces other wealthy countries in police killings.
According to Mapping Police Violence, most killings by officers begin with traffic stops, mental health checks, disturbances, non-violent offenses, or where no crime was alleged.
Police killings also disproportionately impact people of color, according to the nonprofit group's data. In 2023, 27% of people killed by police were Black despite making up 13% of the population. Native Americans, Hispanic people, and Pacific Islanders were also disproportionately affected.
So far in 2024, law enforcement officers have killed 1,045 people across the nation, putting this year on track to be the deadliest since Mapping Police Violence began tracking incidents in 2013.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.