Former US policeman whose killing of black woman sparked outcry dies in prison

A former policeman whose fatal shooting of a black woman in the US sparked a national outcry has died in prison while serving a 20-year sentence.

Sonya Massey, 36, was killed after she had called the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office about a suspected intruder outside her home in Springfield, Illinois, on 6 July 2024.

Sean Grayson, who was a sheriff's deputy, shot Ms Massey after confronting her about how she was handling a pot of hot water from a stove.

Grayson and his lawyers argued he feared Ms Massey would scald him with the water.

The 31-year-old, who was dismissed from his job after firing three shots in the incident, was sentenced in January to the maximum 20 years in prison after being found guilty by a jury in Peoria, Illinois, of second-degree murder.

Grayson's lawyer, Daniel Fultz, confirmed that his client died earlier on Sunday but declined to provide any further details.

Grayson had been diagnosed with colon cancer before Ms Massey's killing, and his lawyers said at his sentencing that the disease had spread to his liver and lungs.

In May, only months into his sentence, he sought medical release under an Illinois law for prisoners with terminal illnesses or serious medical conditions.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied his request last month.

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Ms Massey's killing sparked anger in the US and drew the attention of former president Joe Biden.

Body camera video, recorded by another sheriff's deputy at the scene, showed Ms Massey, who struggled with mental health issues, telling officers "don't hurt me" and repeating "please God".

Grayson saw the pot on the stove and ordered Ms Massey to move it.

After initially joking with Grayson about how he said he was backing off from the "hot, steaming water", Ms Massey then replied "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus".

The two deputies then drew their pistols and yelled at her to put the pot down. Grayson told investigators he thought her "rebuke" meant she intended to kill him.

He then fired three shots, striking Ms Massey below the eye.

(c) Sky News 2026: Former US policeman whose killing of black woman sparked outcry dies in prison