EXCLUSIVE: Ex-deputy who killed Sonya Massey had history of complaints involving women
The sheriff’s deputy charged with fatally shooting Sonya Massey in the face has been the subject of several complaints alleging belligerent behavior toward women, a USA TODAY review of public records shows.
Despite the complaints, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean P. Grayson was never prohibited from working in law enforcement and moved from one police agency to another, the records show, calling into question how he got the job he held when Massey was shot.
The July 6 killing of Massey has sparked national outcry over police brutality, coast-to-coast demonstrations and a federal probe by the Justice Department.
The hiring practices of the sheriff’s department have also been under fire from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who earlier this week formally called for Sangamon Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign, expressing frustration with how the sheriff has responded to Massey’s death. Amid the growing pressure and questions about Grayson’s hiring, Campbell said on Friday he will step down and retire.
