Attorney: SAFE-T Act 'failed to stop' former sheriff's deputy accused of Massey's murder

Steven Spearie, Springfield State Journal- Register
·2 min read
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Attorneys for the family of Sonya Massey want a national database for police officers to prevent "ticking time bombs" like former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, charged in the July 6 fatal shooting of Sonya Massey.

Grayson's hiring by the sheriff's department, particularly because of some of his record with the Logan County Sheriff's Office prior to coming to Springfield, and his two DUIs before he became an officer have continued to raise questions.

Massey family members applauded the retirement of Sheriff Jack Campbell, who is leaving office by Aug. 31.

While calling Illinois' SAFE-T Act "one of the most comprehensive police reform bills" passed, Antonio Romanucci, an attorney who has worked with the Massey family's attorney, Ben Crump, said the act "needs a little bit of help."

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference at the Springfield NAACP building on Aug. 14, 2024.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump speaks at a news conference at the Springfield NAACP building on Aug. 14, 2024.

Romanucci said a more comprehensive national database would include infractions such as DUIs, driving excessive speeds during a police chase and incidents of excessive force or unnecessary profane language on a citizen.

It also would create a waiting period, "some quiet time," Romanucci said, in between officers going from job to job, in order for "a thorough and comprehensive background check (to be) completed."

Romanucci said the act failed to stop Grayson "until he literally exploded and caused a needless life to be lost in Sonya Massey."

"There has to be mandatory reporting," Romanucci added. "Illinois has been a great leader. We just need to caulk the SAFE-T Act."

Grayson, 30, worked for six different agencies, including several on a part-time basis, in four years.

Raymond Massey said his niece, Sonya Massey, was "failed by multiple systems and multiple people. By the sheriff stepping down, I think it's a great first step."

"We have to catch the warning signs," Crump said, "before they become homicides. That's why we have to have accountability at the department level.

"The blood is the hands of the system as well as Sean Grayson."

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Massey family applaud sheriff's retirement; attorneys call for national database