TL;DR
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Sean Grayson, a former policeman, was found guilty of second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey, who had called the authorities about a suspected intruder.
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Grayson’s defence centred on his claim of fearing Ms Massey would scald him with hot water, but he was acquitted of the first-degree murder charge.
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Sentencing is set for 29 January, where Grayson faces four to 20 years in prison, with potential for a reduced sentence based on his behaviour while incarcerated.
Former policeman found guilty of murder over shooting of Sonya Massey | US News
A former policeman has been found guilty of second-degree murder after the fatal shooting of a woman in the US.
Sonya Massey, 36, died after she had called the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office about a suspected intruder outside her home in Springfield on 6 July 2024.
Sean Grayson shot Ms Massey after confronting her about how she was handling a pot of hot water from a stove.
Grayson and his lawyers argued he feared Ms Massey would scald him with the water.
The 31-year-old was found guilty by an Illinois jury and could be sentenced to four to 20 years in prison.
Jurors did not, however, convict Grayson for the first-degree murder charge prosecutors were seeking, which carries a 45-year sentence.
Instead, he was convicted of second-degree murder and his sentence could be halved based upon behaviour behind bars.
Sentencing is scheduled for 29 January next year.
Ms Massey’s killing sparked anger in the US and drew the attention of former President Joe Biden.
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