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Tag: Sonya Massey

  • Former Illinois Deputy Sentenced To 20 years In Prison For Killing Sonya Massey – KXL

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A former Illinois sheriff’s deputy was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for fatally shooting Sonya Massey, who had dialed 911 to report a possible prowler outside her Springfield home.

    Sean Grayson, 31, was convicted in October in a police brutality case that prompted protests over systemic racism and led to a U.S. Department of Justice inquiry. Grayson, who is white, received the maximum possible sentence. He has been incarcerated since he was charged in the killing.

    He apologized during the sentencing, saying he wished he could bring Massey back and spare her family the pain he caused. His attorney had asked for a sentence of six years, noting that Grayson has late stage colon cancer that has spread to his liver and lungs.

    “I made a lot of mistakes that night. There were points when I should’ve acted, and I didn’t. I froze,” he said during the hearing. “I made terrible decisions that night. I’m sorry.”

    Massey’s parents and two children — who lobbied for the maximum sentence — said their lives had changed dramatically since the killing. Her two children said they had to grow up without a mother, while Massey’s mother said she lived in fear. They asked the judge to carry out justice in her name.

    “Today, I’m afraid to call the police in fear that I might end up like Sonya,” her mother Donna Massey said during the hearing.

    ‘It rocked the country’

    Grayson’s attorneys had pushed for a new trial, which Judge Ryan Cadigan dismissed at the start of the hearing.

    In calling for the maximum prison term, State’s Attorney John Milhiser argued that Massey would still be alive if the police department had sent someone else to respond.

    “Sonya Massey’s death rocked her family, but it rocked the community, it rocked the country,” State’s Attorney John Milhiser said. “We have to do whatever we can to ensure it never happens again.”

    When the judge read the sentence, the family reacted with a loud cheer: “Yes!” The judge admonished them.

    After the hearing, Massey’s relatives thanked the public for the support and listening to their stories about Massey.

    “Twenty years is not enough,” her daughter Summer told reporters.

    The day of the shooting

    In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Massey — who struggled with mental health issues — summoned emergency responders because she feared there was a prowler outside her Springfield home.

    According to body camera footage, Grayson and sheriff’s Deputy Dawson Farley, who was not charged, searched Massey’s yard before meeting her at her door. Massey appeared confused and repeatedly said, “Please, God.”

    The deputies entered her house, Grayson noticed the pot on the stove and ordered Farley to move it. Instead, Massey went to the stove, retrieved the pot and teased Grayson for moving away from “the hot, steaming water.”

    From this moment, the exchange quickly escalated.

    Massey said: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

    Grayson drew his sidearm and yelled at her to drop the pan. She set the pot down and ducked behind a counter. But she appeared to pick it up again.

    That’s when Grayson opened fire on the 36-year-old single mother, shooting her in the face. He testified that he feared Massey would scald him.

    Convicted of downgraded charges at trial

    Grayson was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, which could have led to a life sentence, but a jury convicted him of the lesser charge. Illinois allows for a second-degree murder conviction if evidence shows the defendant honestly thought he was in danger, even if that fear was unreasonable.

    Massey’s family was outraged by the jury’s decision, raising questions of racial injustice.

    “The justice system did exactly what it’s designed to do today. It’s not meant for us,” her cousin Sontae Massey said after the verdict.

    After the shooting

    Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump negotiated a $10 million settlement with Sangamon County for Massey’s relatives.

    The case also generated a U.S. Justice Department inquiry that was settled when the county agreed to implement more de-escalation training; collect more use-of-force data; and forced the sheriff who hired Grayson to retire. The case also prompted a change in Illinois law requiring fuller transparency on the backgrounds of candidates for law enforcement jobs.

    Grant McHill

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  • Illinois deputy found guilty of murder in the shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who called 911

    An Illinois jury on Wednesday convicted a former sheriff’s deputy of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who called 911 asking for help.The jurors, though, did not convict Sean Grayson on the first-degree murder charge that prosecutors sought and that carries a prison sentence of 45 years to life. The 31-year-old Grayson instead could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, or probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 29.Grayson and another deputy arrived at Massey’s home in Springfield, Illinois, early on the morning of July 6, 2024, after she reported a prowler. Grayson shot the 36-year-old woman after confronting her about how she was handling a pot of hot water she had removed from her stove. Grayson and his attorneys argued that he feared Massey would scald him with the hot water.Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes, and prompted a change in Illinois law requiring fuller transparency on the background of candidates for law enforcement jobs.Grayson originally was charged with first-degree murder, but after the seven-day trial, the jury was given the option of considering second-degree murder, which applies when a defendant faces a “serious provocation” or believes their action is justified even if that belief is unreasonable.He could be sentenced from four to 20 years, a sentence that could be halved if he behaves behind bars. He could also be sentenced to probation and avoid prison time entirely.Body camera video recorded by the other Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy on the scene that morning, Dawson Farley, was a key part of the prosecution’s case. It showed Massey, who struggled with mental health issues, telling the officers, “Don’t hurt me,” and repeating, “Please God.”When the deputies entered the house, Grayson saw the pot on the stove and ordered Massey to move it. Massey jumped up to retrieve the pot and she and Grayson joked about how he said he was backing off from the “hot, steaming water.” Massey then replied, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”Both Grayson and Farley drew their pistols and yelled at Massey to put the pot down. Grayson told investigators he thought her “rebuke” meant she intended to kill him and, in the following commotion, fired three shots, striking Massey just below the eye.Farley, who at the time of the shooting was a probationary employee subject to firing for any reason, testified that Massey didn’t say or do anything that caused him to view her as a threat. But under cross-examination, he acknowledged that he initially reported to investigators that he feared for his safety because of the hot water. Farley did not fire his weapon and was not charged.Grayson testified in his own defense and was the first witness his attorneys called. He told jurors he noticed the bottom of the pot was red and he believed Massey planned to throw the water at him. He said Massey’s words felt like a threat and that he drew his gun because officers are trained to use force to get compliance.“She done. You can go get it, but that’s a head shot,” Grayson told Farley after the shooting. “There’s nothing you can do, man.”Grayson relented moments later and went to get his kit while Farley found dish towels to apply pressure to the head wound. When Grayson returned, Farley told him his help wasn’t necessary, so he threw his kit on the floor and said, “I’m not even gonna waste my med stuff then.”Prosecutors said that response indicated Grayson’s disregard for public safety, an argument that persuaded Judge Ryan Cadagin to keep Grayson in jail awaiting trial. An Illinois appellate court subsequently ruled that Grayson should be released under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act. An appeal to the state Supreme Court has yet to be decided.Massey’s death also forced the early retirement of the sheriff who hired Grayson and generated a U.S. Justice Department inquiry. The federal probe was resolved with Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department’s agreement to fortify training, particularly de-escalation practices; develop a program in which mental health professionals can respond to emergency calls; and to generate data on use-of-force incidents.Massey’s family, with the assistance of civil rights attorney Ben Crump, settled a lawsuit against the county for $10 million and state lawmakers changed Illinois law to require fuller transparency on the background of candidates for law enforcement jobs.

    An Illinois jury on Wednesday convicted a former sheriff’s deputy of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who called 911 asking for help.

    The jurors, though, did not convict Sean Grayson on the first-degree murder charge that prosecutors sought and that carries a prison sentence of 45 years to life. The 31-year-old Grayson instead could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, or probation. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 29.

    Grayson and another deputy arrived at Massey’s home in Springfield, Illinois, early on the morning of July 6, 2024, after she reported a prowler. Grayson shot the 36-year-old woman after confronting her about how she was handling a pot of hot water she had removed from her stove. Grayson and his attorneys argued that he feared Massey would scald him with the hot water.

    Massey’s killing raised new questions about U.S. law enforcement shootings of Black people in their homes, and prompted a change in Illinois law requiring fuller transparency on the background of candidates for law enforcement jobs.

    Grayson originally was charged with first-degree murder, but after the seven-day trial, the jury was given the option of considering second-degree murder, which applies when a defendant faces a “serious provocation” or believes their action is justified even if that belief is unreasonable.

    He could be sentenced from four to 20 years, a sentence that could be halved if he behaves behind bars. He could also be sentenced to probation and avoid prison time entirely.

    Body camera video recorded by the other Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy on the scene that morning, Dawson Farley, was a key part of the prosecution’s case. It showed Massey, who struggled with mental health issues, telling the officers, “Don’t hurt me,” and repeating, “Please God.”

    When the deputies entered the house, Grayson saw the pot on the stove and ordered Massey to move it. Massey jumped up to retrieve the pot and she and Grayson joked about how he said he was backing off from the “hot, steaming water.” Massey then replied, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

    Both Grayson and Farley drew their pistols and yelled at Massey to put the pot down. Grayson told investigators he thought her “rebuke” meant she intended to kill him and, in the following commotion, fired three shots, striking Massey just below the eye.

    Farley, who at the time of the shooting was a probationary employee subject to firing for any reason, testified that Massey didn’t say or do anything that caused him to view her as a threat. But under cross-examination, he acknowledged that he initially reported to investigators that he feared for his safety because of the hot water. Farley did not fire his weapon and was not charged.

    Grayson testified in his own defense and was the first witness his attorneys called. He told jurors he noticed the bottom of the pot was red and he believed Massey planned to throw the water at him. He said Massey’s words felt like a threat and that he drew his gun because officers are trained to use force to get compliance.

    “She done. You can go get it, but that’s a head shot,” Grayson told Farley after the shooting. “There’s nothing you can do, man.”

    Grayson relented moments later and went to get his kit while Farley found dish towels to apply pressure to the head wound. When Grayson returned, Farley told him his help wasn’t necessary, so he threw his kit on the floor and said, “I’m not even gonna waste my med stuff then.”

    Prosecutors said that response indicated Grayson’s disregard for public safety, an argument that persuaded Judge Ryan Cadagin to keep Grayson in jail awaiting trial. An Illinois appellate court subsequently ruled that Grayson should be released under the Pre-Trial Fairness Act. An appeal to the state Supreme Court has yet to be decided.

    Massey’s death also forced the early retirement of the sheriff who hired Grayson and generated a U.S. Justice Department inquiry. The federal probe was resolved with Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department’s agreement to fortify training, particularly de-escalation practices; develop a program in which mental health professionals can respond to emergency calls; and to generate data on use-of-force incidents.

    Massey’s family, with the assistance of civil rights attorney Ben Crump, settled a lawsuit against the county for $10 million and state lawmakers changed Illinois law to require fuller transparency on the background of candidates for law enforcement jobs.

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  • ‘The Deliverance’ Exclusive: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Talks Kamala Harris, Sonya Massey And Aligned Timing Of New Netflix Thriller

    ‘The Deliverance’ Exclusive: Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Talks Kamala Harris, Sonya Massey And Aligned Timing Of New Netflix Thriller

    Lee Daniels new Netflix thriller The Deliverance is the talk of these internet streets this weekend!

    Source: Courtesy / Netflix

    While the memes and tweets have been entertaining, there is a much more serious side to the film that also deserves to be highlighted.

    Inspired by a true story, the film stars Andra Day as Ebony Jackson, a struggling single mother fighting her personal demons when she moves her family into a new home (their third in a year) for a fresh start. But when strange occurrences inside the home raise the suspicions of Child Protective Services and threaten to tear the family apart, Ebony soon finds herself locked in a battle for her life and the souls of her children.

    Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor plays the concerned Apostle Bernice James who comes to Ebony’s aid in attempt to free her and her family from the clutches of demonic forces. It turns out Ellis-Taylor prepared for the role from an actual apostle who performs similar deliverances in real life.

    “I worked with an Apostle, his name is Apostle Louis and he was extraordinary,” Ellis-Taylor told BOSSIP. “He was and he is extraordinary. And he worked with me and worked with me. I was just like ‘Dude I ain’t gonna get it.’ He just didn’t accept no for an answer. He spoke to me, spoke through me. He was wonderful. He was fantastic. He really prepared me, did his best to prepare me for that moment of rebuking. He was fantastic. That’s what he does, he does those deliverances.”

    Before attempting the film’s ‘deliverance,’ Apostle James cautions Ebony that she must believe every word she speaks and use conviction when addressing the evil possessing her home.

    “I think first before you can be convicted, you have to genuinely care,” Ellis-Taylor told BOSSIP. “When I am in these stories things blur for me, in a good way. I lose sight of that I’m actually just pretending to do something and I feel like I am here to save this woman. I look across the table and I’m looking at Andra, who is I think one of the most honest actors I’ve ever worked with, and it’s easy, it’s easy to do that. It’s easy to be convicted and feel convicted because I naturally care for her and what she’s going through.”‘

    One of the things that resonated most to us about the film was the way it demonstrated how Black women are not believed and supported in the way that they deserve to be.

    “It’s relevant isn’t it?” Ellis-Taylor said. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot you know, and Ms. Harris and Kamala, the timing, it feels a little, I feel like it’s an alignment here a little bit. Hearing her say, ‘Why don’t you believe me? Why am I not worth your belief?’ You’re believing me but also believing in me. I just think it’s a good story to be telling at the moment.”

    The Deliverance production stills

    Source: MATT MILLER / Netflix

    Kamala Harris isn’t the only woman in the public eye who The Deliverance messaging brings to mind. During the deliverance in the film, Ebony uses the very same rebuke of satan that were the last words of Sonya Massey, the Illinois woman recently fatally shot by a deputy.

    “The timing is rich right? It’s really rich,” Ellis-Taylor said. “I’ve heard some ministers trying to speak to this moment. This woman was calling on God. Calling on Jesus, in the moment that she was — I can’t even say it. It just shows what we’re contending with, what we’re up against, that even when we call upon our help, that sometimes it’s not enough, because if you’re doing it by yourself, and so often because we have a culture that doesn’t believe us and doesn’t believe in us, in these moments we’re doing it alone. And I think if I can say what I think about this film, it’s that it is about a community. This group of women who are standing in the balance, standing against and rebuking as a community. So I would think that maybe can help. This idea we rebuke as a community. Doing it alone is not enough.”

    That’s definitely a concept worthy of belief.

    Have you watched The Deliverance? What resonated most for you? What did you enjoy? What did you think could have been better executed? We’re definitely interested to hear what our readers thought of the film.

    The Deliverance is streaming now on Netflix.

    Janeé Bolden

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  • Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke ‘in the name of Jesus’ indicated intent to kill him

    Deputy who shot Sonya Massey thought her rebuke ‘in the name of Jesus’ indicated intent to kill him

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The deputy sheriff who fatally shot Sonya Massey in her Illinois home last month said he believed that when the Black woman who called 911 for help unexpectedly said, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” that she intended deadly harm, according to the deputy’s field report released Monday.

    “I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me,” Sean Grayson wrote, adding that when he drew his pistol and Massey ducked behind a counter that separated them, he moved around the obstacle fearing that she was going to grab a weapon.

    Grayson, a 30-year-old Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy, faces first-degree murder, aggravated battery and official misconduct charges in the death of the 36-year-old Springfield woman on July 6 which has drawn nationwide protests over the killing of Black people by police in their homes. Grayson has pleaded not guilty. His attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment Monday.

    SEE ALSO | Families of police brutality victims attend rally for Sonya Massey at Chicago police headquarters

    Massey’s family has called for the resignation of Sheriff Jack Campbell – who has refused to step down – arguing that problems in Grayson’s past should have precluded a law enforcement assignment. The family has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who did not immediately respond to requests for comment by phone, email or text.

    Grayson and a second unidentified deputy answered her call about a suspected prowler just before 1 a.m. Inside her home, Grayson directed that a pan of water be removed from a burner on the stove. Grayson and Massey shared a chuckle as he warily moved away from the “hot steaming water.”

    “Sonya turned to face me holding the pot. I did not know the type of liquid that was boiling,” Grayson wrote in his report three days after the incident.

    READ MORE | ‘Horrified’: Sheriff Jack Campbell, who hired ex-deputy charged in Sonya Massey killing, speaks out

    “I advised Sonya to put the boiling liquid down. Sonya stated (she) was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus. She stated this twice. I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me.”

    Massey’s family has said that Sonya Massey struggled with mental health issues. She met the deputies at her front door by repeating, “Please God” and inside the house, asked Grayson to pass her a Bible.

    Upon hearing the religious admonition, Grayson then drew his pistol and barked commands to “drop the (expletive) pot.” Massey ducked behind the counter, rose up and appeared to grab the pan again before diving for cover. Grayson said he stepped toward and around the counter to keep Massey in sight, wary that she might have a hidden weapon.

    RELATED | Sonya Massey, mother called 911 multiple times in days before death for mental health crises

    “As I approached the cabinet, Sonya stood up from a crouched position, grabbing the pot, raising it above her head and throwing the boiling substance at me,” Grayson reported. “I was in imminent fear of getting boiling liquid to my face or chest, which would have caused great bodily harm or death.”

    It’s unclear from the video whether Massey attempted to toss the pan’s contents, and she was obscured from view when Grayson fired three 9 mm rounds, one of which struck Massey just below the eye. His report then indicates he looked down to see the liquid had “hit my boots and I observed steam coming from the cabinet area.”

    By the time he completed the field report July 9, Grayson had been placed on administrative leave. The document indicates he received department permission to review the body camera video, the bulk of which had been recorded on the other deputy’s camera. Grayson said he thought his was on when the two first met Massey at the door, but he didn’t turn it on until just after the shooting.

    The other deputy’s report was not part of the release, which included seven other officers’ reports of their activities at the site of the shooting and all completed on July 6 and one completed July 7, heavily redacted before release, by a deputy who had a casual conversation with someone who was familiar with Massey.

    SEE ALSO | Illinois sheriff says his department ‘failed’ Sonya Massey, woman shot to death by deputy

    Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

    AP

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  • Deputy who killed Sonya Massey was removed from the Army, had DUIs and needed ‘high stress decision’ classes, records show

    Deputy who killed Sonya Massey was removed from the Army, had DUIs and needed ‘high stress decision’ classes, records show

    (CNN) — Years before sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson gunned down Sonya Massey in her own home, he had been discharged from the Army for serious misconduct and had a history of driving under the influence, records show.

    He also failed to obey a command while working for another sheriff’s office in Illinois and was told he needed “high stress decision making classes,” the agency’s documents reveal.

    Grayson, who was a Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy before he was fired and charged with murder, responded to a report of a prowler at Massey’s home July 6. Bodycam footage from another deputy showed Massey saying she rebuked Grayson, and Grayson responded by threatening the 36-year-old. The exchange ended with Grayson shooting Massey and failing to render aid.

    Massey’s death stirred memories of other Black women who have been killed by police in their homes in recent years, including Breonna Taylor and Atatiana Jefferson.

    Massey’s autopsy report, which was publicly released Friday, said she was killed by a gunshot wound to her head.

    Her family’s attorney emphasized the angle at which the deputy shot Massey.

    Massey “was shot beneath her eye, and the bullet (exited) at the back of her neck, under her ear,” civil rights attorney Ben Crump told CNN. “What it tells us is that he shot her in a downward trajectory.”

    When asked for comment Friday, Grayson’s attorney Daniel Fultz told CNN: “I don’t wish to comment.”

    Grayson, 30, was indicted by a grand jury last week on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty and was denied pretrial release, according to court records.

    As more details emerge about Grayson’s DUIs and previously documented incidents from the military and law enforcement, Massey’s family members are tormented.

    They have one nagging question, their attorney Crump said: “Why was he even on the sheriff’s department in the first place?”

    The Army discharged him after a serious offense, personnel file says

    Grayson previously served in the US Army but was discharged due to “misconduct (serious offense),” according to a Department of Defense document included in Grayson’s personnel file during his time at the Kincaid Police Department in Illinois. The personnel file was obtained by CNN affiliate KSHB.

    The document says Grayson was separated from the Army under a general discharge after he served as a private first class at Fort Riley in Kansas. The file did not detail the alleged misconduct.

    CNN asked the Army for more details. In response, Army spokesperson Bryce Dubee wrote: “Sean P. Grayson was a 91B (Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic) in the Regular Army from May 2014 to February 2016. He had no deployments and left the Army in the rank of private first class.”

    Grayson was on the Kincaid police force for only three months before he was let go “because he refused to live within a 10-mile radius,” KSHB reported.

    Grayson pleaded guilty to 2 DUIs before working at law enforcement agencies

    Court records show Grayson was charged with two DUI misdemeanor offenses in Illinois’ Macoupin County – one in 2015 and the other in 2016.

    The first incident occurred in August 2015. Grayson’s vehicle was impounded after he was charged with driving under the influence. He pleaded guilty and paid more than $1,320 in fines, according to court records.

    In July 2016, Grayson was charged with another DUI. He pleaded guilty and paid more than $2,400 in fines, court records show.

    Grayson acknowledged his DUI charges when he applied to be an officer at Auburn Police Department in Illinois in 2021. He worked there from July 2021 to May 2022, and CNN’s review of Grayson’s records there did not reveal any major problems or disciplinary issues.

    In May 2022, Grayson started working at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois, records show. He wrote the sheriff a brief letter detailing his “terrible decision to drink and drive.”

    Grayson’s letter also said he lost his driving privileges for one year after pleading guilty to his second DUI, in 2016.

    Grayson worked at six Illinois law enforcement agencies since 2020, records show. He started working part-time with Pawnee police in August 2020, followed by the Kincaid and Virden police departments. Then he started working full-time with Auburn police, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and finally the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in May 2023.

    A review of his employment records from the Auburn Police Department indicates why Grayson said he left previous positions. In some cases, he wanted to work full-time but could only get part-time hours. In another case, he said he didn’t want to move.

    While Grayson did not appear to have any disciplinary issues while he was an Auburn police officer, records from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office said he needed to take “high stress decision making classes.” The recommendation came after Grayson failed to slow down after his boss called off a vehicle pursuit. Grayson was driving about 110 mph before striking a deer, the records say.

    “Deputy Grayson pursued the truck through Lincoln at a high rate of speed, reaching speeds of 63/30 MPH zone and, in my opinion, failed to show due caution while driving through stop intersections,” a Logan County chief deputy wrote in the file.

    Grayson’s supervisor “terminated the pursuit,” and Grayson turned off his emergency lights, the report states. But Grayson “continued at a high rate of speed (110/55 mph zone) prior to striking the deer.”

    “Deputy Grayson acknowledged he lacks experience,” the report said. It also listed a series of recommendations, including “additional traffic stop training, report writing training, high stress decision making classes, and needs to read, understand and discuss issued Logan County Sheriff’s Office Policy.”

    It was not immediately clear if Grayson followed through with those recommendations. He resigned from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in April 2023. The next month, he joined the sheriff’s office in Sangamon County – where he would later have the fatal encounter with Massey.

    Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell fired Grayson after Massey’s death.

    “Sonya Massey lost her life due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by former Deputy Sean Grayson,” Campbell said in a statement Monday.

    “Grayson had other options available that he should have used. His actions were inexcusable and do not reflect the values or training of our office.”

    ‘He had no regard for my mom’

    Massey’s 17-year-old son, Malachi, must now live the rest of his life without his mother.

    He said his mom was a “ball of energy” who always reminded him to read his Bible.

    “She’s the person who taught me how to love,” Malachi told CNN.

    The teen said he’s so grief-stricken by his mother’s death that he can’t describe the pain.

    “I really don’t have words,” he said. “I feel sick.”

    Bodycam footage from the night of his mother’s death initially showed a calm encounter between Massey, Grayson and another deputy.

    When the deputies were inside the home speaking with Massey, they noted a pot of boiling water on the lit stove. Massey got up and went to the kitchen to turn off the heat and take the pot off the stove.

    “We don’t need a fire while we’re here,” one deputy said.

    When Massey picked up the pot, the other deputy stepped back – “away from your hot steaming water,” he said.

    “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey replied.

    “Huh?” the deputy responded.

    “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” Massey said.

    “You better f**king not,” Grayson replied, “or I swear to God I’ll f**king shoot you in the f**king face.”

    Grayson then drew his gun and pointed it at Massey. She ducked and said, “I’m sorry” while lifting the pot, the video shows.

    “Drop the f**king pot!” both deputies yelled. Then three shots are heard.

    After Massey was mortally wounded, the other deputy said he was going to get a medical kit to help. Grayson replied: “Nah, she’s done. You can go get it, but that’s a headshot.”

    Later, Grayson spoke to a group of law enforcement officers outside. “Yeah, I’m good,” he said on the bodycam footage. “This f**king b*tch is crazy.”

    Massey’s son said he wants Grayson locked up behind bars for as long as possible.

    “He had no regard for my mom,” Malachi said. “So we need to have no regard for him.”

    CNN

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