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* Nexstar Illinois Capitol Bureau Chief…
"The grievant was terminated without just cause."
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police files a grievance with the Sangamon Co. Sheriff, arguing Dep. Sean Grayson should not have been fired after he shot Sonya Massey in the face and is now facing first degree murder charges. pic.twitter.com/1s02K7XZyX
— Cole Henke (@cole_Henke) July 26, 2024
…Adding… The grievance was filed by the FOP Labor Council, not, as posted in that tweet, the ILFOP.
* They’re calling for Grayson’s full reinstatement and back pay…
The grievance was terminated without just cause. Further, the employer publicly disseminated details of the investigation and termination on Facebook, in violation of the CBA and prior to giving the grievance or his representatives notice of the decision to terminate.
Remedy Sought: Reinstatement and reimbursement of all lost wages, restoration of all lost benefits, and any other appropriate relief.
That Facebook post is here.
* Sonya Massey’s autopsy was released today. A.P.…
Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon had previously disclosed initial findings on Massey’s July 6 death in Springfield and the full autopsy report released Friday confirmed those conclusions, including that her death was a homicide.
The report states that in addition to the bullet striking her just beneath her left eye, Massey had “minor blunt force injuries” to her right leg and she weighed 112 pounds.
The autopsy findings were released shortly before civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Massey’s family, was scheduled to hold a news conference in Springfield.
* WAND reporter…
@AttorneyCrump saying today family were not told who shot Sonya Massey for 24 hours after she was brought to the hospital. Also said there were many red flags in Sean Grayson’s history and that he never should have been hired. pic.twitter.com/qJ3bgJtXyT
— Carlee Bronkema (@CarleeBronkema) July 26, 2024
* Invisible Institute and Investigative Reporting Workshop…
Invisible Institute, Illinois Public Media and the Investigative Reporting Workshop obtained new records from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, where Grayson worked for 11 months prior to Sangamon County, that show department officials concluded Grayson ignored internal policies during a high-speed chase, fielded at least two formal complaints about his behavior and told him directly that they had considered firing him.
These records also include audio recordings from a November 2022 interview between Grayson and Logan County’s chief deputy which suggest the department — as well as other police departments that had employed him — were previously aware of issues with his performance and integrity as an officer.
Grayson’s relatively short law enforcement career, during which he moved between six Central Illinois police departments in just four years, has come under scrutiny in the weeks since he shot and killed Sonya Massey on July 6, 2024. […]
By the time he applied to be a deputy at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office in March 2022, Grayson had four different policing jobs across Central Illinois — three part-time gigs and one full time post. “My communication, people-centric nature, and compassion have afforded me excellent critical thinking skills,” Grayson wrote in his application.
But when Logan County officials called his current employer, the Auburn Police Department, they received mixed reviews. Auburn Police Chief Dave Campbell said that, while Grayson was an eager officer who showed up for his shifts early and had never been disciplined, he struggled with report writing and had raised concerns that he was “too aggressive.”
* Sangamon County’s response…
* SJ-R…
An official fundraiser has been set up for the family of Sonya Massey after she was fatally shot by a now former Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy on July 6.
Massey’s father, James Wilburn, set up a GoFundMe page for the family. The family is asking for $100,000 to cover mental health counseling, supporting for the family, travel costs and household support as the family works to pursue justice for Sonya, according to the page.
“Sonya is remembered as caring and loving mother to her two children, a 17-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter,” the family wrote on the donation page. “Sonya loved cooking, doing hair, nurturing her children, and spending time with her family. She was also a devoted church member.”
As of Thursday afternoon, the fundraiser had reached about $4,000.
…Adding… WCIA…
WCIA reached out to the police union for comment about the grievance.
“As a labor organization, we have an obligation to protect our members procedural, and due process rights contained in the collective bargaining agreement,” The Illinois FOP said in a statement. “Those rights come with very strict timelines.”
posted by Isabel Miller
Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 12:56 pm
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Perhaps the conflict of interest between the sheriff and the state’s attorney is becoming more visible to people now?
Comment by Stephanie Kollmann Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:07 pm
These police departments are as bad as the Catholic Church. They know they have a person who is a danger to the public, and instead of addressing it, the person is merely - and quietly - shuffled off to a different department.
Comment by Henry Francis Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:13 pm
The FOP are remorseless ghouls.
Comment by sulla Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Are the FOP’s concerns valid? If the County did not scrupulously follow the terms of the labor agreement, this is a reasonable concern. Would the FOP have had cause for a grievance if the County had suspended Deputy Grayson (or otherwise followed the applicable labor contracts)?
Deputy Grayson’s actions (whether justified or not, based on an eventual verdict in court) do not mean that the County can avoid following their contractual obligations when convenient. It looks from the outside like the County tried to do everything they could to placate public opinion at the expense of their own standard procedures.
Comment by Former ILSIP Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:27 pm
==If the County did not scrupulously follow the terms of the labor agreement==
If the County did not take the termination action they did, and waited for the ok from the Union before doing so, I fear to think what the he streets of the City of Springfield would’ve been like after the video was released. Say what you will about the decisions made to hire him, but the decision to quickly act to terminate him as quickly as they did was one hundred percent the right decision.
Comment by fs Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:40 pm
The GoFundMe page for Sonya Massey is now over $140,000 and the goal has been raised to $200,000.
Comment by Nearly Normal Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:40 pm
As a former union leader (not FOP), I recognize that the union has an obligation to ensure that the terms of the CBA are followed. If they do not, management can follow the same process with others in the future and cite the precedent of previous actions.
This insistence on following the CBA does not mean they want this guy on the job or support his actions. It is the union’s obligation to ensure management follows the established process.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:40 pm
=== If the County did not scrupulously follow the terms of the labor agreement, this is a reasonable concern===
Their main thrust is that he was fired “without just cause.” The other bit is just a throw-in which you, of course, focus on.
And if someone cannot be fired after being recorded on video shooting an unarmed woman in the face and killing her in that manner, then we most definitely need some new laws.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:41 pm
===does not mean they want this guy on the job or support his actions===
They want reinstatement with back pay and “any other appropriate relief.”
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:42 pm
@Former ILSIP, care to explain how the County fired him without “Just Cause?” Because the union sure doesn’t.
All these details about the investigation being posted on Facebook without notifying them.
But the whole “fired without cause? Nothing but a passing mention.
Anyone else find that interesting?
Comment by Former Downstater Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:44 pm
The FOP may be correct technically but they have certainly stepped into the dodo in the court of public opinion. The officer’s actions were heinous, a young mother lost her life needlessly, and Sangamon County is likely to pay a high price for this officer’s actions. Firing him was the absolute right decision. I hope the FOP loses this one in a big way.
Comment by Manchester Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:54 pm
===Deputy Grayson’s actions (whether justified or not, based on an eventual verdict in court)===
The brotherhood sticks together.
Comment by Sam Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:55 pm
And THIS is who the Dems keep blindly increasing pension benefits for? You’ve GOT TO BE KIDDING me. The corruption is a feature here, NOT a bug.
Comment by Sayyywhaaa? Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:58 pm
So you can murder someone and get reinstated?
FOP, time to amend your policy. Now.
Comment by FOP Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 1:58 pm
Just to reiterate, the Union wants him reinstated to full duty to receive full pay and benefits….while he’s currently sitting in a jail cell on first degree murder charges.
Comment by fs Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:08 pm
The FOP damages public opinion of policing better than any left/liberal activism ever could.
Comment by Mark D Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:10 pm
==iletsb certified Grayson==
Among the many questions that need to be asked about how he was hired, is why the standards and procedures of iletsb are such that this type of person is certified. For note, the board members for iletsb include Chicago Superintendent Larry Snelling, Cook County sheriff Tom Dart, State Police Director Brendan Kelly, and Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Comment by fs Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:18 pm
I’ve seen a tenured teacher get fired for repeatedly playing video games in class and another for engaging in a homophobic dialogue. My union’s response was to ensure that due process was followed but that they could not stand by unprofessionalism.
Now multiply those by 10 million and that’s what the FOP is defending.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:21 pm
Yeah, the FOP is going to make every officer’s job harder. It’s like right now an awful lot of Chicago can’t stand the CPD, and not just criminals. It makes it harder for the CPD to accomplish anything because no one wants to cooperate with them. Why should they?
Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:27 pm
So, they want him to be reinstated into a job that he doesn’t have the ability to perform (incarceration)?
Comment by Moby Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:31 pm
- If the County did not scrupulously follow the terms of the labor agreement, this is a reasonable concern. -
Did you get your law degree on Reddit?
There is no labor agreement that says an employer can’t terminate an employee for murdering someone on the job.
The FOP isn’t a labor organization, it’s a protection racket. Disgraceful.
Comment by Excitable Boy Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:32 pm
===And THIS is who the Dems keep blindly increasing pension benefits for?===
Not exactly. While FOP stood with other unions during Quinn and Rauner, currently they stand alone from Organized Labor, pursuing a different agenda.
Comment by Anyone Remember Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:45 pm
Shot in the face.
Then ‘grievance’
Absurd & makes you wonder.
Poor judgment & from ‘cops’ ?
Comment by sal-says Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:48 pm
I understand their position. They are trying to protect a member. That said I dont think the grievance will be successful. It will likely be heard and dismissed in short order.
Comment by low level Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:50 pm
The FOP didn’t have to take this action, they chose to. At some point you have to consider your entire membership and weigh whether following the strict contract language is worth the damage you’re doing to the profession overall. This also
begs for legislative action on police reform. They didn’t think this one through at all.
Comment by Tone deaf Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:51 pm
===while he’s currently sitting in a jail cell on first degree murder charges===
Sounds like he is a no-show, which also should be fire-able.
Comment by thechampaignlife Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:56 pm
Check the FOP Labor Council’s jackets to see if they say, “I don’t care”. Because that’s the message they’re sending to the community. When these organizations complain about being unfairly treated, I’ll point to my new jacket.
Comment by Norseman Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:57 pm
Not showing up to work is a firing offense. Did he call off?
Comment by Rabid Friday, Jul 26, 24 @ 2:59 pm