SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The killing of Sonya Massey by Deputy Sean Grayson at her Illinois home has sparked serious concerns about how officers are hired and vetted.
Grayson, a former 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.
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board sent the I-Team its first statement.
The board, which certifies over 35,000 officers across the state, clarified its role: setting standards but not deciding who gets hired. It’s up to local agencies. The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office was the last to employ Grayson.
Records obtained by the I-Team reveal Grayson’s troubling past—a history of misconduct, including two drunk driving convictions and a discharge from the Army for serious misconduct. Former supervisors described him as "very aggressive" and "not great with evidence."
“Did you violate a direct order?” asked one supervisor years ago from the Logan County Sheriff's Office, one of Grayson's previous employers, based on audio recordings in his personnel file.
“Yes," Grayson had said.
One violation led to a high-speed chase and a crash with a deer.
Marc Ayers, a Sangamon County Board Member, said the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office is to blame.
“What's remarkable here is that investigative journalists have done a more thorough job of vetting this former deputy than the sheriff's office did," Ayers said.
Ayers demands stricter hiring criteria and more rigorous psychological exams. He said vast changes are needed.
“Everything from the bottom up and top down," he said.
Ayers insists the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board must elevate its standards, which are set by state law.
Regarding changes needed with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, Ayers said reform needs to start with some basics.
"Multiple DUI convictions should be a de-certifiable offense," Ayers said. "End of story. The application should stop there and not proceed further.”
The outcry has led to a major development. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell announced his resignation Friday. He cited the toll of the current political climate as his reason for stepping down. And he vowed to advocate for higher standards to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In response to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell’s resignation, Sangamon County Board Member Sam Cahnman said in an email: “Sheriff Jack Campbell is doing the right thing by retiring because he has lost the confidence of the public. But this will not bring Sonya Massey back. The sad reality is that had Sheriff Campbell not hired the seriously flawed Sean Grayson, Sonya would still be with us... The entire hiring process at the Sheriff's office must be revamped by retaining an outside consulting firm to advise the Sheriff's office on how to improve the hiring process based on merit alone..."
Cahnman said the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board’s standards need to be elevated. “Grayson got certified even though he had two DUIs in a brief span of time. Anyone with two or more DUIs in the last 10 years should not be certified,” he said.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton had called on Campbell to resign over his handling of the fatal shooting. In response to the sheriff’s resignation, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker’s office said in a statement: “The Governor hopes a fresh start with new leadership will usher in a new era of reform and rebuild the trust lost between the Sangamon County community and the Sheriff’s Office.”