Attorneys working on new legislation in response to shooting death of Sonya Massey

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The fatal shooting of an unarmed woman by a Central Illinois sheriff's deputy has sparked a new push for tougher screening for people who want to be law enforcement officers.

That push is being led by family members of Sonya Massey, the woman whose death a month ago has sparked nationwide outrage.

Former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson has pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting Massey inside of her Springfield home. She'd called 911 to report a possible prowler.

The Sonya Massey bill would expand upon the SAFE-T Act, a criminal justice reform package passed in 2021, by – among other things – requiring a "waiting period" for officers changing departments to allow time for a full background check.

Grayson held multiple law enforcement jobs since 2020.

Civil Rights Attorney Antonio Romanucci called Grayson a “ticking time bomb.”

“So what we aim to do with the Sonia Massey Bill is cock the SAFE-T Act so that a Sean Grayson does not happen again. It cannot happen. The Sonia Massey act will stop the ticking, it will stop the explosion.”

The Massey family Wednesday also called Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell's decision to retire a good first step.

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