Springfield, Illinois – An Illinois Appellate Court has ruled that fired Sangamon County Sheriff Deputy Sean Grayson must be released pending trial in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey.

Sean Grayson is a former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy who was charged with murdering Sonya Massey in her Springfield, Illinois home on July 6, 2024.

The main issue in the case was whether the trial court correctly found that the State proved the defendant posed a threat to public safety that no conditions of release could address. While the trial court ruled in favor of the State, the appellate court determined that the evidence the State provided was unsustainable. As a result, the court overturned the detention order and sent the case back for a hearing on conditions for pretrial release.

According to the appellate court’s unanimous ruling, the court emphasized that the key issue is not the defendant’s performance as a law enforcement officer, but whether, as a private citizen, he poses a danger to the public that cannot be mitigated by conditions of release.

Sangamon County State’s Attorney John Milhiser responded to the ruling in a statement released this evening, stating that he plans to seek Grayson’s continued detention despite the appellate court’s decision.

“I spoke to the family of Sonya Massey today after the opinion was released and told them that the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office remains committed to seeking the continued pretrial detention of Sean Grayson,” Milhiser said. “Defendant Grayson has demonstrated that he cannot comply with conditions and is a danger to the community after his inexcusable actions on July 6, 2024, when he shot Sonya Massey.”

Milhiser also criticized recent changes under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, which he argues have made communities across the state less safe. “Under the short time-frame required under the Act, we filed a petition to detain Sean Grayson, including relevant available information, and made appropriate arguments at the hearing,” he said. “We agree with the Circuit Court’s determination that Defendant Grayson poses a threat to the community that cannot be mitigated with conditions and should be detained while his case progresses.”

The State’s Attorney further confirmed that his office will file a Petition for Leave to Appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, asking for a review of the appellate court’s decision. Additionally, Milhiser stated that a Request to Stay the Mandate will be filed, seeking to keep Grayson detained pending the outcome of the appeal.

Grayson is expected to be in court on Monday, December 2, 2024.