An Illinois jury has begun deliberations in the first-degree murder trial of a sheriff's deputy who shot Sonya Massey, a Black woman in her home who had called 911 for help and was later killed because of the way she was handling a pan of hot water.
The eight-woman, four-man jury received the case just after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Jurors must decide whether Sean Grayson, 31, is guilty of first-degree murder for fatally shooting Massey in her Springfield home. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 45 years to life in prison. They also have been given the option of considering second-degree murder, which carries a term of four to 20 years.
