Recording shows deputy who killed Sonya Massey was admonished for inaccurate traffic stop report at previous job

By Dakin Andone, Chris Boyette, Josh Campbell and Bill Kirkos, CNN

(CNN) — Newly released audio recordings show the former Sangamon County, Illinois, sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot Sonya Massey was previously reprimanded at another agency for filing an inaccurate report about a traffic stop and pursuit.

During the November 9, 2022, review, Sean Grayson was pressed about the particulars of the chase by Logan County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Nathan Miller, who told Grayson his report could have amounted to “official misconduct” and constituted several policy violations.

Grayson said he believed he was on a different street that he referenced in his report.

“If we can’t trust what you say and what you see, we can’t have you in our uniform,” Miller told Grayson, according to the recordings.

“Others will say you have no integrity, and you’re lying to get to that traffic stop,” Miller said at another point. “And I have told you that I have zero tolerance for stretching the law. Because when you have officers that stretch the law, they will get caught, they will get prosecuted.”

“I’m getting goosebumps. This is extremely concerning,” the chief deputy said a few minutes later. “Everybody likes you. I gotta be able to trust you. Was this a purposefully done lie?”

“No,” Grayson responded.

The audio recordings offer the latest glimpse into Grayson’s history as a law enforcement officer, which has been scrutinized after Massey’s death earlier this month. Grayson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other charges. Records show Grayson worked at six law enforcement agencies in four years and was charged with driving under the influence twice.

He resigned from Logan County in April 2023 before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s office the following month.

At the time of Massey’s death, Grayson had responded to a prowler report at the woman’s home on July 6. Bodycam footage from another deputy showed Massey saying she rebuked Grayson, who responded by threatening the 36-year-old. The footage showed Grayson shooting Massey and failing to render aid.

Grayson, 30, was indicted by a grand jury last week on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He was denied pretrial release, according to court records.

Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell fired Grayson after Massey’s death, saying in a statement last week, “Sonya Massey lost her life due to an unjustifiable and reckless decision by former Deputy Sean Grayson.”

“Grayson had other options available that he should have used. His actions were inexcusable and do not reflect the values or training of our office.”

An attorney for Grayson declined to comment Tuesday.

Chief deputy urged Grayson to check reports for accuracy

The conversation captured in the audio recordings appears to coincide with an internal review detailed in Grayson’s Logan County Sheriff’s Office disciplinary records previously obtained by CNN.

Those records indicate Grayson was on patrol early in the morning on September 12, 2022, in Lincoln, Illinois, when he began pursuing a maroon truck, believing a woman in the driver’s seat was acting suspicious. The driver then failed to signal while making a turn, and Grayson activated his lights, the documents say, citing Grayson’s initial report. The driver did not stop.

Grayson “pursued the truck through Lincoln at a high rate of speed,” Miller writes in a description of the incident. Grayson’s supervisor eventually terminated the pursuit via radio communications, the documents state, but Grayson continued to travel at a high speed before hitting a deer.

The focus of Miller’s interview centered on information written in his police report that Grayson admitted was inaccurate – namely which street he was on when he first purported to have noticed suspicious activity. Miller also referenced previous orders he’d given Grayson to check his reports for accuracy.

In the recording, Grayson said he believed he was on the street specified in his report. But Miller, referencing a map of the location of the stop, said it was geographically impossible for Grayson to have observed what he claimed to see from the suspect vehicle before attempting to initiate a traffic stop.

“You cannot witness what is in this report,” Miller said. “Do you agree with that statement?”

“Yes, I do,” Grayson replied.

“The sheriff and I will not tolerate lying and deception, nor should we, or the county or the state or law enforcement partners,” Miller said later. “And you understand this?”

“Yes, I do,” Grayson said.

The disciplinary records – which also reference a November 9, 2022, interview with Miller – indicate the sheriff’s office recommended Grayson needed “report writing training, high stress decision making classes, and needs to read, understand and discuss issued Logan County Sheriff’s Office Policy.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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