SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The killing of Sonya Massey in her home by an Illinois sheriff's deputy was pursued by prosecutors as a first-degree murder case with a possible life prison sentence. Then the judge gave the jury another option when deliberations began this week.
Sean Grayson was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree murder, a lesser charge with less severe consequences. Massey's family was outraged by the verdict. The Black woman's supporters called it the wrong dose of justice, noting she was deliberately shot in the face by a white police officer in her own kitchen.
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FILE - Donna Massey, center right, wipes tears from her face as she listens to Rev. Al Sharpton, right, speak during a press conference over the shooting death of her daughter Sonya, who was killed by Illinois sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, at New Mount Pilgrim Church in the Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, file)
FILE - This January 2025 booking photo provided by the Macon County jail shows Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey in Springfield, Ill. (Macon County Jail via AP,File)
FILE - Donna Massey, center right, wipes tears from her face as she listens to Rev. Al Sharpton, right, speak during a press conference over the shooting death of her daughter Sonya, who was killed by Illinois sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, at New Mount Pilgrim Church in the Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, file)
Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, speaks outside the Peoria County Courthouse in Peoria, Ill. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)
FILE - In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP, File)
Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, hugs a supporter outside the Peoria County Courthouse in Peoria, Ill., Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)
Experts say a verdict form with different options is common in Illinois courts and elsewhere — if a judge believes the evidence presented at trial could plausibly justify it. Grayson testified in his own behalf, claiming he felt threatened by Massey and her pot of hot water.
“This is not unusual,” Andrew Leipold, who teaches criminal law at University of Illinois College of Law, said of the jury's alternatives.
Under Illinois law, “second-degree murder recognizes the possibility that people honestly — but unreasonably — believe they're in danger so they killed the person they're worried about,” Leipold said.
No jurors talked to reporters about how they reached consensus on the conviction. But they were likely influenced by Grayson's version of what happened when he and another officer went to Massey's home in Springfield early on July 6, 2024.
Massey had called 911 in the state's capital city, seeking help for a suspected prowler. Grayson, a Sangamon County sheriff's deputy, arrived with another officer, and their encounter with Massey began to center on a boiling pot of water.
Grayson said Massey, who had struggled with mental health, grabbed the pot after he had ordered the other officer to move it off the stove. “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus,” she said, according to body camera video.
Grayson testified that he feared being struck with the pot and the water. He had told investigators that he believed the “rebuke” meant Massey intended to kill him. He fired three shots, striking her just below the eye and killing her.
“He believed that to be a threat," defense attorney Daniel Fultz said as he argued for an acquittal. "You don’t have to believe that it was. That’s what he believed.”
State’s Attorney John Milhiser said Grayson, who was eventually fired, didn't follow his training that night.
“Send anyone else — anyone — and Sonya Massey is alive today," the prosecutor told the jury.
Defense attorneys asked Judge Ryan Cadagin to add a second-degree murder option to the jury instructions after all the evidence was presented. Second-degree murder can apply in Illinois when a defendant faces a “serious provocation” or believes their action is justified, even if that belief is unreasonable.
“It’s the judge’s call," said J. William Roberts, a former county prosecutor and U.S. attorney in central Illinois. "If there are arguably facts that could support something less than first-degree murder, the court would almost always put it in rather than risk being reversed on appeal.”
Leipold, the law professor, said: "This is what juries are for."
”They listened to (Grayson's) testimony. They weighed his credibility," Leipold said. "It doesn't sound like the facts were in great dispute, only the state of mind and inferences to be drawn of who did what."
Grayson, 31, could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, with time shaved along the way for good behavior, or even probation. A first-degree murder conviction would have carried a prison sentence of 45 years to life without good-time credit.
On Thursday, Milhiser said he will seek the maximum possible prison term when Grayson is sentenced Jan. 29.
“A midwestern central Illinois jury is not going to want to think that a police officer is an out-and-out murderer," Roberts said. "In our communities there is still a good deal of faith in law enforcement, although things like this certainly undermine that.”
White reported from Detroit.
FILE - This January 2025 booking photo provided by the Macon County jail shows Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Sonya Massey in Springfield, Ill. (Macon County Jail via AP,File)
FILE - Donna Massey, center right, wipes tears from her face as she listens to Rev. Al Sharpton, right, speak during a press conference over the shooting death of her daughter Sonya, who was killed by Illinois sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson, at New Mount Pilgrim Church in the Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, file)
Sonya Massey’s father, James Wilburn, speaks outside the Peoria County Courthouse in Peoria, Ill. on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)
FILE - In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police, Sonya Massey, left, talks with former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson outside her home in Springfield, Ill., July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police via AP, File)
Sonya Massey’s mother, Donna Massey, hugs a supporter outside the Peoria County Courthouse in Peoria, Ill., Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.
Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.
It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”
Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.
In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.
“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.
He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.
New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.
“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”
This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.
Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.
“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”
The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.
The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.
After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.
The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.
“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.
The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.
With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.
The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.
Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.
Chargers: End of season.
Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
