A jury in Illinois has found former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson guilty of second-degree murder and official misconduct for the killing of Sonya Massey, a 36-year-old Black woman who called 911 for help. Body camera footage showed Grayson aiming his gun and firing after issuing contradictory commands moments after entering Massey’s home last July. Prosecutors said he escalated a situation that posed no threat, violating his duty to protect and to de-escalate. The verdict marks a rare instance of a law enforcement officer being convicted for killing a Black woman, in a system where such accountability is exceptional. Jurors rejected a first-degree murder charge but found Grayson’s actions reckless, unjustified, and criminal. Sonya’s murder has reignited calls to confront how fear, bias, and power shape police responses, especially when women of color are involved. Taking place just a week before the nine-year anniversary of Sandra Bland’s death, it underscored the importance of the ...