SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The defense attorney for the former sheriff's deputy accused of murdering a Springfield woman filed a motion in court on Wednesday claiming the deputy's response was an act of "self-defense."
Sean Grayson is charged with the murder of Sonya Massey. The former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy was seen on police body camera video shooting and killing Massey inside her home in July 2024. Massey had called police for help during an apparent mental health crisis.
The motion filed on Wednesday alleges Massey "directed an act of violence" against Grayson by throwing boiling water in his direction, thus making her the initial aggressor.
The motion was filed in Circuit Court on July 23, just two days before Grayson's next status hearing in Springfield.
Attorneys Daniel Fultz and Mark Wykoff Sr. submitted additional motions that raise concerns about Massey's state of mind regarding the fatal shooting. The defense wrote in the motion that Massey was known to have a "violent history" and referenced an incident in which Massey was alleged to have battered or assaulted a neighbor with a brick.
The motion also recalled a reported incident where another neighbor told Illinois State Police that, “Sonya and her neighbor had been in a dispute the day prior in reference to a car window being broke.”
Grayson is currently in the Macon County Jail. His motion to be released under the state's SAFE-T Act has been denied. However, his release appeal has reached the Illinois Supreme Court. However, the court has not made a ruling and it's not clear if one will be made before his October trial.
Although the alleged crime occurred in Sangamon County, the trial will be held in Peoria County. Grayson's attorney argued in April for the trial to move out of the area because of media coverage and community engagement in the case.
Massey's death sparked a civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and led to the formation of the Massey Commission in Sangamon County. Both have brought change to Sangamon County and the sheriff's department, including new hiring practices, mental health awareness, and greater transparency and accountability.
Earlier this year, Sangamon County and the Massey family agreed to a $10 million settlement.
In Wednesday's motion, the defense also requested that Judge Ryan Cadagin instruct the Massey Commission to "cease and desist" from holding public forums about the case in Peoria.
Grayson's attorneys say the taxpayer funded commission is seeking to educate the Peoria community about the case and "potentially tainting the Peoria County jury pool," according to the motion.
A Sangamon County judge is expected to take up all three motions of July 25th.
On July 23rd, Grayson was moved from the Macon County Jail to the Sangamon County Jail. Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch says the move was made because of Grayson's medical procedures and follow-up appointments. He will stay at the Sangamon County Jail until his trial in Peoria County.
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