Sean Grayson lost his bid for early medical release from a 20-year prison sentence after the Illinois prisoner review board voted unanimously to deny his request. The three-member panel rejected the application Friday, panel spokesperson Liz Mitchell said in an email, leaving Grayson to continue serving the maximum term imposed in January.
Grayson, a former sheriff’s deputy, was convicted in October of second-degree murder in the death of Sonya Massey, who was killed inside her Springfield home after she called 911 about a possible prowler. Attorneys for Grayson told officials he had been diagnosed with colon cancer before the 2024 shooting, and his lawyer said in January the disease had spread to his liver and lungs. He filed for early release in May, six months into his sentence, according to a copy of the application published by Capitol News Illinois.
Body-camera footage released during the case recorded officers entering Massey’s residence. Minutes later, Grayson fired a shot that struck the 36-year-old single mother in the face as she moved a pot of hot water and told him, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus." He apologized at his January sentencing, but in the release filing he asserted that Massey had "attacked me with a pot of boiling water." Attorney Daniel Fultz, who has represented Grayson, declined to comment.
Sangamon county state’s attorney John Milhiser urged the board to deny release, writing, "To release Grayson under these circumstances would be a miscarriage of justice, and an insult to Sonya Massey’s memory and family." Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represent Massey’s family, said the board "made the right decision." They added, "The board recognized what this family has said from the start. No one is above accountability, and a badge does not provide an early way out."
Governor JB Pritzker noted the board is required by Illinois law to consider medical release petitions and described Massey’s death as "a profound loss." He said, "Sonya was innocent, unarmed, and calling law enforcement for help. It was a painful reminder that too many innocent Black Americans have faced this kind of violence – and they deserve justice." The case prompted protests and drew a review by the US Department of Justice.
With the board’s decision, Grayson remains incarcerated under the 20-year sentence handed down in January. The denial closes his first avenue for an expedited medical release, leaving the family’s allies and state officials to monitor any further legal steps or reviews tied to the case.
