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Sheriff’s deputy who killed Sonya Massey should have raised flags after being discharged from the Army for drunk driving, experts say

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois sheriff’s deputy accused of fatally shooting Sonya Massey has been kicked out of the Army for the first of two drunken-driving convictions during which he had a gun in his automotive, authorities said. But that hasn’t stopped multiple law enforcement agencies from giving him a badge.

Before he began his police profession, working six jobs over 4 years (the first three of which were part-time), 30-year-old Sean Grayson was convicted twice in a yr of drink-driving, which cost him his military service.

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Law enforcement experts say his convictions and employment history should have raised serious questions when the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department hired him in May 2023.

Grayson, who was fired, has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and abuse of authority in the death of Massey, a 36-year-old black woman who called 911 a couple of suspect who had broken into her home in Springfield, 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Chicago. Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty.

“Six jobs in four years should raise suspicions. And you could ask why he wasn’t hired full-time at any of those (part-time) jobs,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington think tank. “That, coupled with his DUI history, would be enough to investigate further whether he would fit the bill.”

Grayson, who enlisted in the Army in 2014, was charged with driving under the influence in Macoupin County, south of Sangamon County, after traffic stops on Aug. 10, 2015, and again on July 26, 2016.

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The first drunken driving conviction led to his discharge from the military in February 2016 for “serious misconduct,” in response to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to debate personnel information, adding that Grayson had an unregistered weapon in his vehicle.

Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison confirmed that police found a gun in the center console, but Grayson was not charged with possession of a weapon because he was a resident of Fort Riley, Kansas. Kansas has a law to hold firearms openly.

Grayson was discharged on honorable terms, relatively than honorably, because he was charged by a civilian law enforcement agency and his military service was otherwise good.

His attorney, Daniel Fultz, declined to comment Monday.

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Sean Smoot, chairman of the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, said a DUI charge doesn’t disqualify you from serving in law enforcement, but an employment agency can definitely take that into consideration.

“Some police departments wouldn’t hire someone with one DUI,” Smoot said. “I’m shocked that an agency would hire someone with two DUIs, but apparently a lot of agencies have.”

Massey’s father, James Wilburn, has called for the resignation of Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell. “He has no intention of stepping down,” Campbell spokesman Jeff Wilhite said.

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A press release from Campbell’s office said the county merit board and state law enforcement board really helpful Grayson be certified as an officer, despite the DUI charges. Grayson also passed a drug test, a criminal background check, a psychological evaluation and a 16-week academy course.

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Before coming to Springfield, Grayson worked for a yr as a sheriff’s deputy in Logan County, simply to the northeast. According to a report obtained through a public records request, in November 2022, he was told he needed more training, including “high-stress decision-making classes,” after he did not comply with an order to stop a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of 110 miles per hour (177 kph) before colliding with a deer.

When he applied to Logan, an employment report from Auburn, south of Springfield, where he had worked before, showed that although Grayson all the time showed up for work early, was willing to be trained, was open to criticism and had no disciplinary motion, he had trouble writing reports, was “not very good with evidence—he would leave things lying around the office” and was “a braggart.”

Logan County records also include complaints of misconduct by two people arrested by Grayson, including one wherein a lady who admitted to having drugs in a body cavity claimed Grayson gave her a glove and ordered her to remove the contraband in front of him and one other officer. She was later taken to the hospital to have it removed, and she or he claimed Grayson had forced his way through the curtain during the procedure. He denied each complaints and resigned from Logan County before the investigation was accomplished.

Body camera footage from the night of the shooting shows Grayson and one other officer finding no sign of anyone breaking into the apartment. They wait several minutes for Massey to reply, during which Grayson says the woman is dead inside, then impatiently calls out to her.

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Massey, who has a history of mental health issues, appears confused and says, “Don’t hurt me.” Grayson sometimes responds in a patronizing or impatient manner.

“His behavior before, during and after the incident indicates that this guy was erratic, and that’s a courtesy,” said Kalfani Ture, a former police officer who is now an assistant professor of criminology at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, and an instructor at the New York Police Department’s academy.

At Massey’s home, the video shows Grayson ordering a pot of water off the stove. Massey appears to position it near the sink. The two joke that Grayson has moved away from the “hot, steaming water,” and Massey inexplicably says, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”

This prompts Grayson to attract his gun. Massey apologizes and hides behind the counter, but when Grayson yells at her to drop the pot, she appears to select it up. Grayson shoots her thrice, hitting her in the face, and she or he makes no immediate attempts to offer medical attention because, “It’s a headshot.”

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“That’s not a characteristic of an officer. That’s a characteristic of someone who has a corrupt indifference to human life,” Ture said. “And this incident is not an aberration. Someone like that is pretty consistent in presenting that type of profile.”

Ture said Massey likely picked up the pan again because she was disoriented by the shouted orders. He moved too quickly to make use of lethal force — he had other options, including using a stun gun, chemical spray or easily subduing the petite woman, Ture said.

According to Wexler, drawing the gun only escalated the incident.

“He should have slowed down, talked it out, had a plan B and known where the door was to get out of the house, rather than putting himself in a situation where he had no other choice but to use deadly force, standing there, drawing his weapon and shouting orders,” Wexler said.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

Crime

RAPER ROD WAVE stands in front of a dozen or so loads, some of the weapons in Georgia

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The rapper referred to as Rod Wave will face a dozen or so charges, some engage the gun after he entered the officials of the sheriff in Georgia on Tuesday.

Wave, whose real name is Rodarius Green, voluntarily surrendered to the Fulton Sheriff Office regarding orders arising from the Police call of April 21 in the suburbs of Milton in Atlanta, the police said.

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“There is no truth in these allegations,” said the lawyers of rapper Findling and Marissa Goldberg in a statement for the Associated Press.

“Rod Green was a victim of burglary and did not commit any crimes,” they said. “How he was even accused as a result of this situation is incomprehensible. It will be absolutely resolved for Mr. Green.”

Police Milton responded to a house in the city north of Atlanta after the report from 911 described “possible home interference,” the police said in a statement.

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The police said that the officers determined that the connection was related to previously unpaid burglary and release of firearms. Later they obtained arrest warrant for Green, who was a resident of the house.

The allegations include an exacerbated assault, a conspiracy aimed toward committing a crime, criminal property damage and referring or aiming at someone weapons and hindering legal officers, show the files of the Fulton Fulton prison. He can be accused of manipulating evidence – a crime – and obstructing legal officers.

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He was released from Bond shortly after he turned the same day on Tuesday, the authorities reported.

The 26-year-old rapper in Florida is well known for his soul trap, a unique combination of R&B and Rap, which brought him 11 Singles Certified Platinum by the American Industry Association. Four of his six albums hit No. 1 on the best list of albums Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop, including his latest, “Last Lap” from 2024.

This yr he brought the title song Sing Title “Sinners” to the Ryan Coogler record, recognized by critics Hit with the same name.

Green grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he had not less than one past with the law before The national battery charge has been rejected in 2022

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The ex -girlfriend accused Green of entering the house in the Orlando area and choke her, while their two children were in a different room, in response to the arrest warrant. They each arranged for about 4 years, and the girl told investigators that Green accused her of seeing other men during their breakdown.

Later, prosecutors told court officials that the case is just not suitable for prosecution.

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Crime

“Protection of his public image was very important”: a psychologist, former assistant to testimony at the Diddy trial

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Dawn Hughes, a clinical and criminal psychologist certified by the management board, testified on Wednesday in a federal case for criminal trade against hip-hop tycoon “Diddy” Combs.

Hughes, who particularly testified as an authority in the process of defamation of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in 2022, said that she was in court to provide contextual details about individuals who experience domestic violence and traumatic stress.

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“They (survival that survived) experience great shame, humiliation, degradation,” said Hughes, discussing sexual abuse, According to CNN. “They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t even want to think about it in their brain.”

In the case of people used, Hughes testified that many remain in relations, and financial dependence and lack of resources are the most important aspects why someone stays.

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She also talked about trauma ties and the way offensive relationships often have a component of love and kindness for them, which hinders the departure of individuals who survived.

“There is such a pattern of return and reconciliation and then returning,” Hughes testified.

During her testimony, she explained that abuse could seriously affect memory, which hinders individuals who survived the recall of individual incidents. However, individuals who survived can remember the event more often if it coincided with a significant date, comparable to the anniversary, holiday or birthday.

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However, the defense lawyer Johnathan Bach was incompatible.

As interrogated Bach Dawn Hughes, she testified that she had not checked the specific details of the case. Her interrogation led to several side strips when the defense of the control of her six meetings with the prosecutor’s office, some of which took place after the trial began. As a blind witness, her role was only in providing knowledge about domestic violence and sexual abuse, not comments on the details of the case. She maintained that the discussions between the prosecutor’s office and her didn’t contain detailed details about the case.

Bach also questioned Hughes’s credibility, arguing that she approached the stand with a specific “perspective”. The court further warned that witnesses could possibly be “dangerous” because of the “aura of power” they carry.

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After Hughes, he was a former executive assistant of Combs, George Kaplan, he took a position. Kaplan, who joined Combs Enterprises in 2013, testified that he worked from 80 to 100 hours a week. His duties included ensuring that the chef and cleansing staff were prepared for the whole day and preparing the Bathroom Comb with medicines. He exchanged each day connections with Combs, who expressed what he needed, allegedly included drugs or alcohol.

Kaplan also testified that part of his responsibility was to protect the image of Combs.

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“Protecting him and protecting his public image was very important and it was something that I really wanted to do,” said Kaplan.

Kaplan testified that just about every month Combs allegedly threatened his work. Combs allegedly wanted to be surrounded by the best, and “people around him did not perform at this level,” Kaplan reminded.

At the starting of the day, a special agent Gerard Gannon ended his testimonies, expressing that agents who searched Comb ‘Miami Beach House in March 2024, found a range of pills and a “crystal substance resembling rock” in the Gucci COMBS bag. There were also six people at home, including a music producer, real estate manager and other facilities.

Looking to the future, the musician Kid Cudi is to testify on Thursday morning.

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Skai Jackson addresses the order to refrain from his son’s father regarding allegations of domestic violence

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Skai Jackson, a 23-year-old actress and graduate of Disney Channel, asked for a order to stop Los Angeles against her son, Deondre Burgin, claiming that he physically attacked her, threatened her life and damaged her personal property, and damaged her personal property, and damaged her personal property, reports people.

According to court documents, on Mother’s Day, Jackson claims that Burgin attacked her, hitting his head on the window of the automotive and hitting her in the face. Jackson claims that in the attack she kept their newborn son Kasai.

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He also claims in reporting that Burgin physically attacked her during a relationship, suffocating her and slamming her in the partitions, and in some unspecified time in the future, when she was pregnant, she demanded that she drink the bleach to end the pregnancy. He also claims that Burgin threatened that he was stabbing her stomach and held her at KnifePoint.

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In one incident described in the documents, while Jackson claims that he locked himself in the bathroom to escape from him, Burgin allegedly hit the door and strangled her until she couldn’t breathe.

The son of Jackson and Burgin, Kasai, was born in January 2025, and in February Jackson told people who he enjoys motherhood. “I love to be a new mother. It’s so exciting. So exciting. I’m here tonight, I miss my child already. But it was a great month with my new toddler,” she said during the 56th NACP Image Awards.

Burgin has not yet responded to claims against him.

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