Copyright fox2now
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Closing arguments are scheduled to begin shortly and by day’s end, there could be a verdict in the Sean Grayson murder trial. A Peoria County jury — the case was moved here due to pretrial publicity — will deliberate on whether Sean Grayson should be found guilty or acquitted of first-degree murder charges for the July 6, 2024, shooting death of Sonya Massey. Jurors will also have the ability to consider a lesser charge of second-degree murder, which carries a possible prison term of four to 20 years behind bars. Probation is also an option. First-degree murder has a sentencing range of 20 to 60 years behind bars and if jurors find Grayson pulled the trigger — a factor that a 2000 U.S. Supreme Court case requires juries to find — an additional 25 years to life is automatically added onto the range Updates for other days of the trial can be found below: Day 1: Jury Selection Day 2: Motions and rulings Day 3: Illinois State Police Investigative head takes the stand Day 4: Departmental policies Day 5: Faculty director of the Excellence in Policing & Public Safety (EPPS) Program takes the stand. Day 6: Defense calls expert This story will be updated below in reverse chronological order UPDATE (8:12 a.m.) — Closing arguments will begin shortly, and this is the last time attorneys from each side get to talk to jurors, and it’s where they make their case. They’ll describe what they thought the evidence was and try to sway the jury to their side of the field. Prosecutors go first, then the defense,, and then the prosecution again for what are known as “rebuttal arguments.” The state gets to go twice as they have the burden of proof. It’s not up for debate who shot Massey — Grayson did. The trial, which began last Monday, is focusing on whether Grayson acted appropriately. Prosecutors say no, that he violated generally accepted police practices as well as his department’s own policies. But Team Grayson counters that the Riverton native was in fear of an “imminent threat” from Massey, who was holding a pot of boiling water when she was shot by the former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy at around 12:49 a.m. inside her home.
