National attorney Ben Crump speaks at Massey funeral in Springfield

Posted on July 19, 2024
The funeral was held Friday afternoon. (Photo courtesy: Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – The woman killed by a now former Sangamon County deputy was remembered Friday morning.

Nationally known civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, spoke at the service for Sonya Massey.

“When the video is released, it is going to shock the conscience of America like the pictures of Emmett Till and the senseless video of Laquan McDonald.” Till was lynched in Mississippi in the 1950s and McDonald was shot 16 times by a Chicago police officer in 2014.

The funeral came a day after Sean Grayson was in court to plead not guilty to first degree murder charges.

Prosecutors say he shot Massey in the face July 6 after Massey called 9-1-1 to report a possible burglary.

Grayson allegedly bypassed less lethal options, and Massey was not suspected of a crime anyway.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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