It was a dramatic first week in the murder trial of a former white cop who fatally shot Springfield-area resident Sonya Massey in her home.
The prosecution played graphic body camera footage of then-sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson shooting Massey, who was Black and unarmed, in July 2024. It happened as Massey was removing a pot of boiling water from her stove. Grayson's attorneys argue it was self-defense.
For Sontae Massey, Sonya’s cousin, the hardest part of the trial so far was testimony from a forensic pathologist called to testify by prosecutors. The pathologist testified Sonya could have survived Grayson’s gunshot wound if someone was able to stop her bleeding in time.
"Just knowing that my cousin could be here right now. It's just, it's just devastating. I mean, not only to me, obviously, but to my entire family. We want Sonya to be still here," Sontae Massey said.
Grayson’s trial is expected to wrap up this week. The trial was moved to Peoria due to publicity about the case.
