Massey Commission releases final report

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The Massey Commission, formed after the police shooting death of Sonya Massey in 2024, released its final report Thursday.

The 63-page report, which the group calls a "blueprint built from the voice of Sangamon County residents," was compiled over the last year.

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The commission will present the report to the Sangamon County Board at its Dec. 9 meeting. The board and State Sen. Doris Turner (D-Springfield) formed the commission several months after Massey's death.

“This report is what happens when a community refuses to look away,” said Massey Commission Co-Chair Joann Johnson. “Inside are the stories, data and solutions that our neighbors trusted us to carry forward. Now we’re placing them in the hands of the public and saying: this belongs to you.”

Massey was killed by former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson inside her Sangamon County home in 2024. Grayson was found guilty of second-degree murder in October. He will be sentenced next month.

The killing was captured on police body camera video and garnered nationwide attention for what happened. Grayson is appealing his conviction.

The report details four critical areas the commission feels require immediate attention:

Law enforcement reform
- A change in hiring practices, training, and accountability. The report said changes should also include mandatory anti-bias and antiracism training. The group also called for independent oversight in the county to investigate misconduct.
Mental health and crisis response
- The creation of a county-wide mental health board and crisis response protocols
Independent oversight and civic accountability
- Transparent mechanisms to hold public officials accountable, including law enforcement
Community-centered engagement
- A call to create change from community input and not a top-down approach

The report also outlined signature priorities: safety and dignity, truth and accountability, access and belonging, repair and investment, and education and liberation.

Turner and Sangamon County Board Chair Andy Van Meter issued the following statement:

We are pleased and proud to receive the final report of the Massey Commission, and we extend our most sincere thanks to the commission members, residents, advocates and community partners who contributed to this excellent work product.
Sonya Massey’s murder profoundly affected our entire community. We commend the Commission for converting all the frustration and heartache of the tragedy into a positive force for good in our community.
Hard work still lies in front of us, but it is good work, and it is work that has already started. The County Board will take action next Tuesday on the Commission’s proposed creation of a county-wide Mental Health Board which is a major, positive benefit for our community. In addition, we have already convened task forces with assignments to begin work on the Commission’s other 26 recommendations.

Ahead of the report, there have been several changes in Sangamon County and Illinois law following Massey's death. The "Sonya Massey Law" requires law enforcement agencies to have stricter hiring practices, including a full review of a potential officers prior employee records.

Sangamon County voters approved the establishment of a mental health board.

New Sangamon County Sheriff Paula Crouch took the department's de-escalation and use-of-force policies under review. An action spurred by a DOJ investigation that led to an agreement to also focus on race and disability discrimination in policing and dispatch services.