Sean Grayson denied early medical release in Sonya Massey killing case

Chicago,UPDATED: Aug 1, 2026 03:10 IST

A former Illinois sheriff's deputy will not get early medical release from his two-decade prison sentence for killing Sonya Massey inside her home after she called 911 about a possible prowler, state officials have said. The three-member Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted unanimously on Friday to reject Sean Grayson's application.

Grayson had been diagnosed with colon cancer before the 2024 shooting, and his lawyer said in January that the cancer had spread to his liver and lungs. Grayson, who is white, was convicted in October of second-degree murder in Massey's killing, a case that triggered protests over systemic racism and a US Department of Justice review.

Body camera footage showed Grayson and another deputy entering Massey's home in Springfield, Illinois. Minutes later, Grayson shot the 36-year-old single mother in the face as she moved a pot of hot water from the stove and told him, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." Grayson was later given the maximum possible sentence.

According to a copy of his application published by Capitol News Illinois, Grayson sought early release from prison in May, six months into his sentence. At his sentencing in January, he apologised for Massey's death, but in the release application he wrote that she had "attacked me with a pot of boiling water". Daniel Fultz, a lawyer who has represented Grayson, declined to comment on Friday.

In a letter opposing Grayson's release, Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser said the former deputy's medical condition had already been taken into account at sentencing. "To release Grayson under these circumstances would be a miscarriage of justice," he wrote, "and an insult to Sonya Massey's memory and family."

Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, lawyers for Massey's family, said the board "made the right decision". "Today the board recognised what this family has said from the start," they said in a statement. "No one is above accountability, and a badge does not provide an early way out."

Democratic Governor J B Pritzker said Illinois law requires the Prisoner Review Board to consider requests for medical release. He called Massey's killing "a profound loss" and said, "Sonya was innocent, unarmed and calling law enforcement for help. It was a painful reminder that too many innocent Black Americans have faced this kind of violence - and they deserve justice." The board's decision means Grayson will continue serving the 20-year sentence he received for Massey's killing.

With PTI Inputs

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