Civil rights attorney Ben Crump who is representing Sonya Massey’s family in the case that has shocked the world recently sat down with Massey’s father for an interview with @cbsmornings.
During the conversation, the father of Sonya Massey, who was shot and killed in her home by a sheriff’s deputy, says initially he was under the impression that she was killed by an intruder. “I was never told that it was deputy involved shooting we were under the impression that she was killed by an intruder or some other person from the street or something and they just went in there and found her dead body. I did not find out the deputies killed her until my brother asked for Sonya’s address and he said brother this says deputies are involved and I’m like what are you talking about.”
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During a news conference on Monday Ben Crump said he will fight for complete justice for Sonya Massey including figuring out how the deputy got hired as well as urging congress to pass the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act.
As we previously reported, Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old woman, was tragically killed by deputy Sean Grayson of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in her home in Springfield, the capital of Illinois, on the early morning of July 6. Massey had called the police because she believed there was an intruder attempting to break into her home. When the police arrived, they used flashlights to search her home. Deputy Grayson, who is white, and his partner eventually entered Massey’s home and began talking to her.
Following the initial conversation and a request for Sonya Massey’s driver’s license, Deputy Grayson noticed a pot of boiling water on the stove and instructed Massey to remove it to prevent a fire. As Massey approached the pot, the officers visibly distanced themselves from her, prompting Massey to question where were they going. Grayson jokingly replied that they were moving away from the hot water. Despite the lighthearted exchange, Grayson then approached Massey with his gun drawn as she began to kneel behind a counter with her hands raised.
After threatening to shoot her, Massey ducked and then briefly stood up as Grayson fired his pistol at her three times. Authorities mentioned that Massey had called 911 earlier to report a suspected prowler. The video footage showed the two deputies arriving just before 1 a.m. on July 6, walking around the house and discovering a black SUV with broken windows in the driveway. It took Massey three minutes to open the door after the deputies knocked, and upon seeing them, she immediately expressed, “Don’t hurt me.” She appeared confused during their conversation at the front door, repeatedly stating that she needed help, mentioning God, and indicating that she did not know who owned the car.