Some degree of belated justice prevailed late last month when former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson, who shot and killed Sonya Massey, was found guilty of second-degree murder.

The verdict, which the Massey family referred to as “providing some measure” of justice for Sonya, is yet another unyielding reminder of the horrors of police brutality in America. Although it is reassuring Grayson was found liable for his misdeeds, the intersection of police brutality and racism is far too commonplace in American law enforcement.

On July 6, 2024, bodycam footage revealed Grayson, a 30-year-old member of the force, ordered Massey to her kitchen to turn off a pot of boiling water. She complied. Rather than attempt to calm the situation, Grayson escalated it by screaming and spewing a tirade

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