The civil proceedings against the Sangamon County, IL, Sheriff’s Department and Sangamon County for the shooting death of Sonya Massey by then-Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson has resulted in a $10 million settlement over the tragic and fatal interaction. Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law and Antonio M. Romanucci of Romanucci & Blandin handled the case on behalf of the Massey family.
Approved by the Sangamon County Board on February 11, 2025, the agreement was mediated by ADR Systems and the Honorable Judge Kay M Hanlon (Ret.).
Attorney Crump, Attorney Romanucci, and the family of Sonya Massey issued the following statement:
“The settlement reached by civil attorneys for the senseless death of Sonya Massey brings some measure of accountability and closure to those who loved her, but nothing can remove the persistent pain, frustration and grief caused by her senseless death,” it read.
“The use of deadly force during that encounter is as stunning as it is deeply, deeply sad. It is the hope of Sonya’s family that her death can bring change and that the community will continue to say her name, so no one ever needlessly loses their life again when all they are asking for is help.”
In addition to the settlement, Illinois State Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-27th) introduced the Sonya Massey Bill HB3837 last week on the state’s House floor.
“It is with a great sense of purpose that I am pleased to bring to the Illinois House floor HB3837, which seeks to make substantive change to how law enforcement applicants are reviewed before they are hired,” he stated.
“The aim is to ensure those who are hired meet reasonable standards and qualifications and that any concerns about their professional conduct at prior law enforcement departments or in their personal lives are brought to the surface. This robust process is nothing short of what our communities deserve so that the right people are in these critical public service roles. We do this in honor of Sonya Massey, so others like her will not be senselessly harmed or killed, and ultimately, we can build greater trust between all citizens of Illinois and law enforcement officers.”
On July 6, 2024, Massey called the police to her home in Springfield, Illinois, as she believed there was a prowler on the premises. Through what has been described as a series of chaotic events, Massey picked up a pot of boiling water and exchanged words with the two officers who arrived on the scene, including Deputy Sean Grayson, who has been charged with firing the shot to the face that ended Massey’s life. From the time of the officers’ entry into Massey’s home to her unlawful murder, the events all took place in a matter of 45 seconds.
Grayson has since been fired from the department and is charged with first-degree murder for her death. Many questions have been raised since Massey’s death about the law enforcement hiring process in Sangamon County. Grayson had two personal DUI convictions, and several professional concerns surfaced after the incident. Reports indicate Grayson worked for six departments in four years before being hired by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department.
The $10 million settlement comes on what would have been Massey’s 37th birthday.
“We are grateful for Illinois State Senator Doris Turner (D48th), who represents Sonya’s district, for introducing SB1953 and for Illinois State Representative Justin Slaughter, Chair of Judiciary-Criminal Committee, for introducing HB3837 last week,” the Crump and Romanucci statement continued.
“Both bills call for more robust background checks and the greater sharing of work history and personal history for applicants to law enforcement roles. It is squarely in the public’s best interest that those who are sworn to protect and serve our communities be held to a reasonably high standard before being given a shield and a service weapon. Sonya’s family believes that this type of background check would have raised numerous concerns about the officer who would later take her life, and in creating a more thorough hiring process in Illinois that tragedies like Sonya’s can be prevented.”
