The deputy sheriff who shot Sonya Massey dead in her home last month has claimed he believed she intended to kill him.
Former sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, 30, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in the death of 36-year-old Massey for the July 6 shooting. Grayson has claimed that when the unarmed black woman who had called 911 for help said "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," he believed she had intent to cause him deadly harm.
The deputy's field report was released on Monday in which he states “I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me,” as he described how he drew his gun and Massey ducked down behind the counter and that he moved around it in fear that she was grabbing a weapon.
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The phrase is popular in the Christian community used to rebuke Satan and what they may deem Satanic practices. Despite this, it's not supported in Biblical passages according Verse by Verse Ministry. During an earlier news conference the family's attorney, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, labeled Grayson's "revisionist" justification as "disingenuous."
Massey's death has sparked nationwide protests over Black people being killed in their homes by police. Grayson has entered a not guilty plea. Grayson was accompanied by a second unidentified deputy when they attended Massey's home after she made a call about a suspected prowler outside the property at around 1 am.
After entering her home and asking for her ID Grayson told Massey that she should remove a pan of boiling water off her stove. Massey and one of the deputies were heard laughing as they moved away from the “hot steaming water,” on bodycam footage of the incident.
Writing in his report Grayson gave his perspective of what happened next: “Sonya turned to face me holding the pot. I did not know the type of liquid that was boiling. I advised Sonya to put the boiling liquid down. Sonya stated (she) was going to rebuke me in the name of Jesus. She stated this twice. I interpreted this to mean she was going to kill me.”
Grayson then drew his gun and demanded that Massey “drop the f****** pot.” Massey is then seen ducking down behind the counter before standing up again and grabbing the pot and then ducking down out of sight again. Grayson continued in his report: “As I approached the cabinet, Sonya stood up from a crouched position, grabbing the pot, raising it above her head and throwing the boiling substance at me.
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"I was in imminent fear of getting boiling liquid to my face or chest, which would have caused great bodily harm or death.” In the released bodycam footage it is not clear whether or not Massey threw the contents of the pan as she could not be seen as Grayson fired three 9 mm rounds.
In the harrowing body cam footage he can be heard saying: “You better f****ing not or I swear to God I’ll f****ing shoot you in your f****ing face.” He then pulled his 9mm pistol and demanded she drop the pot. Ms Massey said, “OK, I’m sorry.” In Grayson’s body camera footage, he pointed his weapon at her. She ducked and raised her hands.
He then fires three shots, with one hitting Ms Massey in the head. Grayson was still in the living room, facing Massey and separated by a counter dividing the living room and kitchen. Prosecutors have said the separation allowed Grayson both “distance and relative cover” from Ms Massey and the pot of hot water.
Massey was hit just below the eye by one of the bullets. In his report Grayson claims he looked down and saw the liquid had “hit my boots and I observed steam coming from the cabinet area.” Grayson had already been placed on administrative leave when he filed his field report on July 9.
The document confirms he was given permission to view the bodycam footage, the majority of which came from the other deputy's camera. Grayson admitted that he thought his camera was on when the two officers had greeted Massey at her door but it was not switched on until after the shooting.
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