After initially rejecting calls to step down, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell announced Friday he would retire by the end of the month – citing the “current political climate” and fallout from the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey. NBC Chicago’s Bennett Haeberle reports.
After initially rejecting calls to step down, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell announced Friday he would retire by the end of the month – citing the “current political climate” and fallout from the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey.
Massey was fatally shot inside her home last month after calling police for help. Deputies responded for the call of a suspected prowler.
The call for service ended with Deputy Sean Grayson fatally shooting Massey inside her home. The sheriff’s office fired Grayson and found he failed to de-escalate the situation. He was later indicted.
“The one person truly responsible for this act is in jail, and I believe justice will be served through the legal process,” Sheriff Jack Campbell wrote in a statement released Friday. “… But it has become clear that the current political climate has made it nearly impossible for me to continue effectively in my role.”
Campbell’s announcement comes amid mounting criticism over the Massey’s death and just days after Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called on Campbell to step aside.
Here is the full statement from Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell:
“I was first elected Sheriff in 2018. I embraced that role, to lead SCSO, but I always saw myself as a cop, not a politician. And for over thirty years, my career has been dedicated to improving and protecting our community. As Sheriff, I have committed my life to advancing our capabilities and effectiveness, implementing new policies and practices to ensure we serve the community with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. All this was done with the idea of creating a safer Sangamon County.
The tragic death of Sonya Massey has been a heartbreaking event for our community. My deepest condolences go out to her family and friends. Since the incident, I have been proactive and transparent, working tirelessly to present all of the facts to the public. I have committed to making changes to our standards and collaborating with other units of government on ways to prevent incidents like this in the future. The one person truly responsible for this act is in jail, and I believe justice will be served through the legal process.
Despite these efforts, some in our community want me to pay the price for that person’s actions, even threatening that I pay that price with my life, my family's lives, or the lives of my Deputies. We will only persevere together as a community if we turn down the temperature and resolve to do better. We must honor the life of Sonya Massey by ensuring that no one else falls victim to such tragic and senseless action. That has been my sincere mission since that fateful day. But it has become clear that the current political climate has made it nearly impossible for me to continue effectively in my role. Some individuals would rather see our community divided and in turmoil, than allow me to continue serving as Sheriff. The health of me and my family, the Sheriff’s Office, and our community has to be my priority.
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As elected leaders, we must always put the overall good of the community above ourselves; and I will not risk the community that I swore to protect. For this reason, I am announcing my retirement as Sheriff of Sangamon County, effective no later than August 31st.
While it is painful to say goodbye, I do so knowing I have fulfilled my duties and served to the best of my ability. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the citizens who have supported me throughout the years. I am forever grateful for the opportunity I had, for the people I met and for this Office that I love.
- Jack”
Campbell’s announcement came on the same day that a judge rejected a call by former deputy Sean Grayson’s attorney to release him from jail – citing his medical conditions including stage 3 colon cancer and medical incident at the Menard County jail where his ostomy bag burst, according to court records.
NBC 5 Investigates was first to obtain and report Grayson’s jail booking video from July 17 where he discussed the murder charges against him and incorrectly predicted that he’d be released from jail.
“I can’t imagine that they are not going to release me,” Grayson said on the video.
When asked by Menard County deputies what charges he’s facing, he says: “They are saying my charges are first degree murder, aggravated assault … and official misconduct.”
He later adds: “That’s what the state’s attorney agreed. That’s what the state’s attorney made the charges so.
They said this is for my own safety to put me in custody so… so here I am.”
During the 90-minute video, Grayson can be seen getting his picture taken, resting inside a holding cell where he calls his fiancé and attorney and talking to deputies – who tell him repeatedly that he can make requests from them.
One Menard County deputy tells Grayson because of the jail’s low inmate population he’ll be placed in a cell alone, and says:
“If something – you want something. We’ll see what at the time we can do with it.
You are free to ask if you need something, we’ll get you through it,” the deputy says.
Despite statements like that, the Menard County Sheriff’s Office has denied that Grayson is getting any special treatment.
Sonya Massey was killed July 6th when two deputies responded to her Springfield home on the report of a suspected prowler. From the initial moments of the call, Deputy Sean Grayson asked her “you doing alright mentally?”
But minutes later as Greyson and another deputy were inside – the events changed drastically. As Sonya went to retrieve a pot of hot water on her stove, she told Grayson: “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.”
In his field reports released earlier this week, Grayson said he feared for his life and safety and took Massey’s comments “to mean she was going to kill me.”
“I drew my duty weapon and pointed it at Sonya. I gave her loud, clear, verbal commands to drop the pot of boiling liquid,” Grayson wrote.
It’s not clear what happened in the moments afterwards. Grayson stepped in front of another deputy whose body camera was rolling. And while Grayson’s body camera was activated only after the shooting, a “lookback feature” which provides some video from Grayson’s perspective – but no audio - is partially obstructed by his own arm. Grayson then fires three shots – one of which struck Massey in the face.
Grayson has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, aggravated assault and official misconduct. He’s due back in court August 26.
