Crime
Sheriff’s deputy who killed Sonya Massey should have raised flags after being discharged from the Army for drunk driving, experts say
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
“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.
Crime
Diddy allegedly tried to kill a former boyfriend Cassie, prosecutors say in the sexual trade process
The sexual trade process for Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, founding father of Bad Boy Records and the music mogel began on Monday morning in New York with statements opening each the defense team and the defense of COMPS. The trial has already began with unimaginable claims.
According to New York Daily News, In his comments opening US prosecutor Emily Johnson, he shared with the jury that the anger with the former Girl Cassie and the lack of control over her caused him to consider murder. Apparently, trying out that Cassie was dating one other person, Johnson claimed that Diddy called one in all his bodyguards and went to seek for a boy Cassie (at the moment), with a weapon, intending to kill a man.
“He took the weapon and took his bodyguard – one of his most loyal lieutenants – to wake up one of the employees of the accused in the middle of the night. The accused shouted that he was going to kill a man with whom she was Cassie,” said Johnson. Unable to find a man, Diddy set his view on a brutally assault on Cassa.
“He did what he did countless times earlier. He beat her brutally. Kicking her in the back and throwing her like Ragdoll. All this violence was not enough, but the accused had to make sure that he would have control over Cassie again. So he threatened her,” the accused told Cassie that he would supply you with the option to publicly release sex with sex when he kept her. Nights of her life. ”
Johnson’s opening remarks developed her plan to share twenty years of violence and abuse of each Cassie (Ventura) and other women who allegedly forced sex against their will, and ruthlessly defeated after they didn’t follow, amongst many other crimes. She also claimed that he had a tight ring of fogeys that were aware and complicity in Diddy’s crimes committee.
Diddy’s lawyer, Teny Geragos, said that Combs had committed domestic violence, but he was not at the trial for it, and the movies and data they receive would show consensual, intimate private relations, but no orders of any crimes.
“We accept the full responsibility that in this case there has been domestic violence. Domestic violence is not sexual trade. I want to say it again: domestic violence is not sexual trade. If he was accused of domestic violence, if he was accused of assaulting, he will not be here now,” said Geragos.
She added: “sexual trade, prostitution, tribute, these are federal crimes. Fees for various elements. He is simply not guilty of these crimes.”
Diddy didn’t plead all allegations against him, including sexual trade allegation, racketeers, transport of victims and sexual employees in terms of prostitution and all other related numbers. If he’s convicted, he’ll face prison with a very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very long time.
(Tagstranslat) sean Diddy combs
The federal sexual process of Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose extremely successful occupation was dotted by allegations of violence, began on Monday in New York with the alternative of a jury, which was briefly detained when the hip-hop entrepreneur said he was “a bit nervous” and needed a break in the bathroom.
Three dozen potential jury was questioned by judge Aruna Subramaanian about their response to the questionnaire, which is also to help determine whether or not they is perhaps honest and impartial at the trial through which violent and sexual movies will appear. Opening declarations and the starting of the testimony are scheduled for the next week.
The judge gave a possible sworn to a transient lived description of sexual trade and a conspiracy from tribute to Combs, telling them that he didn’t plead guilty and it was thought that this was not innocent.
At the end of the day, the jury pool was half its size, because some were excluded for personal reasons, resembling the inability to economically endure the process anticipated for two months or because their opinions or previous experience would threaten their objectivity.
The next thirty potential jurors were to be questioned on Tuesday. The jury was not going before Wednesday.
Throughout Monday, Combs, 55 years, sat along together together along together together together along together along together along along together together together together together together along together together along along together along together together together together along along together along along along together along together along along along along together together along together along together together together together together together together along together together together along along together together together together together along together along along together along together along together together together together together along together together together along together along together together together along along along together along along along together along along together along together together together along along along together together along together together together along along along along together together together together together along together along together along together along together along along along along together together together together together together together along along along together together together along together along along along together along together along along together along along together together along together together along together together along along along together together together together along along along together along together together together together along together along along together together along along along together together together together together together along along along along together along together together along along together together along along along together together together along together together together together together along along along along together together together together along together along along together together along together along along along together together together along together together along along together together together along together together along together together along together together along together together together along along together along along together together along along together along along together together together together together together together together together together together along along along along along together together with his lawyers in a sweater above a white shirt with a collar and gray pants that the judge allowed as a alternative of prison clothes. Since his arrest, it took place in a dismal federal blockade in Brooklyn. His hair and goat were almost fully gray because the dye is not allowed in prison.
Unlike the other latest loud celebrity processes, the Combs case won’t be broadcast live, because the federal courtroom doesn’t allow electronic recordings in the middle-what signifies that the artists of the sketch of the courtroom are the eyes of the public in the courtroom.
If he is convicted of all the allegations, he could face the maximum life in prison.
Several potential jury indicated that they saw press reports containing key evidence on this matter: a video with a hip-hop tycoon striking and kicking one amongst his prosecutors in the corridor in the hotel in Los Angeles in 2016. One potential juror described a stationary picture that she saw from the film as “condemning evidence.” This woman was rejected from the consideration.
After releasing one other juror, Combs asked for a break in the bathroom, telling the judge: “I’m sorry your honor, I’m a bit nervous today.”
One potential juror said that she published a “similar” film in social media by a comedian who joked about large amounts of oil for infants found by law enforcement agencies in one amongst the houses of Combs. Has not been released.
The 17-page indictment against Combs-which appears like an accusation document against the mafia leader or the head of the drug gang-he is confirmed that Combs have been involved in twenty years of racketeers of behavior towards women and others, with the help of people in his funeral and employees from his network of corporations.
Combs and his lawyers say he is innocent and every group sex was compatible. They say that there was no effort to force people to do it, and nothing that happened was a criminal rocket.
Prosecutors say that girls were manipulated in sexual ends in sexual results with sexual men, which the Combs called “freaks”. To keep women in a queue, prosecutors say that Combs used a mix of influence and violence: he suggested that he would increase their entertainment occupation in the event that they did what he asked – or breathe or not.
And when he didn’t get what he wanted, the indictment says that Combs and his colleagues resorted to violent deeds, including beating, kidnapping and arson. Once, in accordance with the indictment, he even hung someone from the balcony.
One of the 4 alleged victims of the testimony against Combs may not finally take the position of a witness, on Monday he revealed the assistant to the US prosecutor Maurene Comey. She told Subramanian that a lady’s lawyer had personal problems and it was difficult to get and it was clear if the woman would also appear.
“There is no special number that requires her testimony so that we can bear our burden,” said Comey.
Combs recognized one episode of violence, which is considered a key element of the prosecutor’s case. In 2016, the security camera recorded him that he defeated his ex -girlfriend, R&B Cassie singer, in the corridor of the hotel in Los Angeles. Cassie filed a lawsuit at the end of 2023, saying that Combs gave her years abuse, including beating and rape.
Associated Press normally doesn’t call individuals who claim that they were sexually abused, unless they report in public as Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura.
(Tagstotransate) Diddy
Smokey Robinson was accused of sexual assault by four former employees.
On Tuesday, May 6, a state of $ 50 million was filed within the Supreme Court in Los Angeles against an 85-12 months-old singer by four Jane, accusing him of a sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, genital violence and making a hostile work environment.
In accordance with court documents obtained by People magazineIN The New York PostAND DiversityEach of the explanations was employed as housewives.
In his criticism, the primary Jane Doe claims that his wife, Frances Robinson, had “full knowledge about his earlier activities of improper sexual behavior” and “did not take appropriate repair actions” to forestall his “unnecessary rewind” even after the previous cases of previous cases of sexual assault with other women.
He also claims that the primary sexual assault she experienced took place in March 2023 and that she experienced “repeated sexual assault and sexual harassment” against her.
The second Jane Doe, who said that she worked for a pair in 2014-2020, claims that she was forced to depart after she experienced “repeated sexual assault and sexual harassment” against her, which, he claims, began in 2016.
Jane Doe #3, who said that she worked as a Smokey hostess from 2012 to 2024, also claims that she was forced to resign attributable to repetitive incidents “sexual assault and sexual harassment” as in accordance with the criticism. In addition, he claims within the criticism that Smokey “raped her” from behind “at least 20 times” after forcing her to “lying face down” in a towel.
The fourth hostess within the criticism, who worked for the accused in 2006–2024, said that she was forced to resign after “multiple sexual assault and sexual harassment”, which began in 2007.
The plaintiffs who’re represented by the law company Harris & Hayden are searching for compensation of USD 50,000,000.
At a press conference in the middle of Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, lawyer John Harris described Robinson as a “serial asaulter” NPR Reported. The lawyer added how the Celebrity of the Motown Legend threatened women to silence, especially since they were employees with low salaries “live with payments.” In addition to break, women ask for a trial.
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