An Illinois sheriff’s deputy has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a woman inside her home, a death that led to protests about justice for the Black victim.

Sonya Massey was killed after Sangamon County deputies responded to her 911 call early on July 6, State’s Attorney John Milhiser said.

A statement from Milhiser doesn’t describe the circumstances that preceded the shooting at Massey’s home in Springfield, 200 miles (322 kilometers) south of Chicago. But he said a review of body-camera video doesn’t support the use of deadly force.

Deputy Sean Grayson was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, Milhiser said Wednesday.

Ben Crump, an attorney for Massey’s family, said the 36-year-old woman had called police about a suspected intruder in her home. He said she was unarmed and shot in the face.

  • yesman@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    This pig must have done something indescribable if they charged him before the body cam went public.

    Think about it, you’d have to have a police official, a prosecutor, and a union guy all agree that they cant’ defend what this pig did.

    • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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      4 months ago

      I think you’re right. They must see this as something indefensible and seek to separate themselves as quickly as possible. Or, maybe we’re actually seeing a shift in the culture of policing and they’re less likely to defend at all costs. I would much prefer that to be the real reason, though I won’t get my hopes up.

      Prosecutors said Grayson discouraged the other deputy from getting a medical kit from their vehicle.

      Releasing that detail does not bode well for what’s on the recordings.

      • marron12@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        An Illinois sheriff’s deputy charged with murder in the death of a Black woman shot her in the face during a tense moment over a pot of water in her home, authorities said Thursday.

        Prosecutors said Grayson “aggressively yelled” at Massey to put a pot down. They said she put her hands in the air and ducked for cover before she was shot in the face.

        And then right after that is the part about the medical kit. So you kill someone who asked for help because they were holding a pot of water.

    • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
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      4 months ago

      He shot a woman for no good reason. That’s enough. People care more when bad things happen to women.

      It’s why black folks being a larger share of people shot by police than their share of population is definitely racist but no one bats an eye at more than 95% of folks shot by police being men.

    • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      First degree murder too, which maybe is overcharged to avoid conviction, but that’s still one he’ll of a charge.

      • Zannsolo@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        They can convict on 2nd degree murder in Illinois. It’s the same basic points to find them guilty but they can consider mitigating factors to lower it from 1 to 2.