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Milhiser said this sentence is necessary to “deter others from committing the same crime.”
Defense attorney Mark Wykoff warned that imprisonment would endanger Grayson’s medical condition,as the former sheriff’s deputy’s colon cancer has worsened and spread.
“As your honor is aware,grayson was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2023,” Wykoff said. “That has now spread to his liver, and now he has Stage 4 cancer, separate and apart from the Stage 4 colon cancer, in the form of rectal cancer, and cancer to his lungs.”
Wykoff also said Grayson should be sentenced for crimes committed in Sangamon County, illinois, and that the case is “not a referendum on the rest of the country.”
In July 2024, Grayson was charged with the murder of Massey after Grayson claimed he thought Massey was going to throw a pot of boiling water at him. First Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers said Massey complied with the order to drop the pot of water, while Grayson’s attorney argued that Massey escalated the situation.
Grayson’s admission of remorse today marks a stark contrast from prior testimony, where he said Massey behaved in a manner that was threatening. “We are trained to use force that will gain compliance,” Grayson said during October testimony, where he also said that the only thing that coudl stop the perceived threat was his duty weapon.
Her death led to protests and calls for justice, and also the passage in Illinois of the Sonya Massey Act, which requires stricter background checks for police hires. The act, officially signed into law in November 2024, also mandates de-escalation training and requires a psychological evaluation for all police applicants.
At the time, Massey’s father, James Wilburn, said he hoped the judge would give Grayson the maximum sentence. “He showed no remorse. He was so cocky