Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Did Illinois Deptuty Sheriff Sean Grayson Lawfully Defend Himself From Sonya Massey?



Andrew Branca breaks down the video frame by frame. I thought it was pretty damning for Sean Grayson (on first view yesterday), but the video analysis does give a different perspective. The case will still likely go to trial and I still think Sean Grayson has a real risk of being convicted.  


It was chaotic.

4 comments:

  1. To answer the question posed in your header... well, yeah, he did, but since he's white and she is... not, he is GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY!

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  2. If I were the prosecution, I would focus on the range of the pot of boiling water and its inability to be reloaded. While boiling water is a deadly threat as Branca says, range considerations would be a factor in the imminence of the threat. While a person armed with a knife is a deadly threat at 7-10 yards, they are not at 100 yards. It is not clear whether the pot throw was interrupted by being shot but the video shows it only made it less than halfway to the deputy. While I am suspicious of the race hustlers and Crump is probably the worst, I need more information. Going to check to see if Ayoob has anything to say.
    I am still not clear when things went downhill from a reasonably friendly encounter to a shooting. I guess I am going to have to watch the whole video (shudder). The excerpt I did see showed the woman as sort of stupid but not obviously crazy.

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    Replies
    1. I did not see her attempting to throw the water in the video until Branca did the frame by frame. There is also some the escallation obviously edited out. What bothered me is why not slowly back out and leave her alone if she was nuts? What did these sheriff deputies have to gain? Try to deescallate the situation. The facts are close enough that it is almost certainly going to the jury.

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    2. Agree. I would also bet that his employment history is going to be an issue. I think it was 4 agencies in 6 years. Assume the prosecution is going to subpoena the records to see if there was a history of excessive force.

      Police often don't have the same backoff options that armed citizens do since they have a public order responsibility. Assume that will be a trial issue too.

      Branca says he is going to respond to some of the more reasoned objections to his analysis. I don't have a subscription but I am sure someone who does will repost.

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