An Illinois appellate court ruled unanimously on Wednesday, November 27th, that Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy charged with the murder of Sonya Massey, should receive a new hearing to determine whether he should remain in jail pending trial.
The decision overturned a July circuit court ruling that denied Grayson’s release without adequately proving that no conditions could mitigate the danger he poses to the community.
The 4th District Appellate Court found that prosecutors did not present sufficient evidence to support Grayson’s continued detention. Grayson, 30, is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal July 6 shooting of Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who had called 911 to report a suspected prowler near her home. During the encounter, Grayson fired three shots at Massey after a tense exchange. Massey’s death has drawn national attention.
Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser issued a statement following the appellate court's decision, emphasizing his office’s commitment to pursuing Grayson’s continued detention.
“The Fourth District Appellate Court on November 27, 2024, issued an Order directing Sean Grayson be released from custody with conditions. I spoke to the family of Sonya Massey today after the opinion was released and told them that the Sangamon County State's Attorney's Office remains committed to seeking the continued pretrial detention of Sean Grayson. Defendant Grayson has demonstrated that he cannot comply with conditions and is a danger to the community after his inexcusable actions on July 6, 2024, when he shot Sonya Massey.
The SAFE-T Act has made it less safe in communities across Illinois. Under the short time-frame required under the Act, we filed a Petition to Detain Sean Grayson, including relevant available information, and made appropriate arguments at the hearing. We agree with the Circuit Court's determination that Defendant Grayson poses a threat to the community that cannot be mitigated with conditions and he should be detained while his case progresses. We will be filing a Petition for Leave to Appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court asking them to review the appellate court decision. We will also immediately be filing a Request to Stay the Mandate pending the appeal to the Supreme Court and ask that Defendant Grayson remain detained.”
Grayson’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday. Milhiser’s office plans to appeal the appellate court’s decision to the Illinois Supreme Court and seek a stay to keep Grayson detained as the case progresses.