A bid for freedom by a former Illinois sheriff's deputy convicted of killing Sonya Massey has failed. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board has voted to deny his request to leave prison early.
The decision was not a close call. The board voted unanimously to reject the request for early release, which had been made on medical grounds.
At the center of the request is Sean Grayson, the former deputy now behind bars for the killing. He is the one who had petitioned the board to be let out.
His argument rested on his health. Grayson had asked to be released because of symptoms of advanced colon cancer.
The crime that put him in prison drew national attention. Grayson was convicted of shooting and killing Sonya Massey in her home in 2024.
His time behind bars has only just begun. He started serving his prison sentence six months ago.
For Massey's relatives, the request reopened a wound and they pushed hard against it. Her family opposed his release, saying he showed Sonya no compassion and showed no remorse during the trial.