Chicago Tonight: Black Voices
Growing Calls for Justice in the Fatal Police Shooting of Sonya Massey
Clip: 7/31/2024 | 11m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
A Sangamon County sheriff's deputy has been fired and charged with first-degree murder.
There's growing outrage from the White House on down following the release of bodycam footage showing a downstate police officer fatally shooting 36-year-old Sonya Massey earlier this month.
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Chicago Tonight: Black Voices is a local public television program presented by WTTW
Chicago Tonight: Black Voices
Growing Calls for Justice in the Fatal Police Shooting of Sonya Massey
Clip: 7/31/2024 | 11m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
There's growing outrage from the White House on down following the release of bodycam footage showing a downstate police officer fatally shooting 36-year-old Sonya Massey earlier this month.
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipTHERE'S GROWING OUTRAGE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON DOWN FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWING A DOWNSTATE POLICE OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTING.
36 YEAR-OLD SONIA MASSEY EARLIER THIS MONTH SAYING I'M IN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SEAN GRAYSON HAS BEEN FIRED AND CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER.
BUT AS MORE DETAILS EMERGE ABOUT GREECE'S HISTORY, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND ACTIVISTS ARE DEMANDING ANSWERS AND ACTION THAT INCLUDES HERE IN CHICAGO WHERE REVEREND AL SHARPTON AND OTHERS GATHERED AT NEW MOUNT PILGRIM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH LAST NIGHT AS PART OF A NATIONWIDE CALL FOR JUSTICE.
JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE SOME OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THAT EVENT.
REVEREND IRA ACREE, PASTOR OF GREATER SAINT JOHN BIBLE CHURCH ALESE EDWARDS, A FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND A MEMBER OF THE 11TH DISTRICT POLICE COUNCIL AND DAVID CHERRY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR USE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT THE ALL STARS PROJECT.
THANKS TO ALL 3 OF YOU FOR JOINING REVEREND, ACCURATE.
LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE.
THE JUSTICE FOR SONYA MASSEY EVENT LAST NIGHT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT EVENT AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WERE SOME OF THE KEY MESSAGES OR TAKEAWAYS FROM LAST NIGHT A GREAT EVENT.
IT'S A GREAT EVENT.
WE HAD PHASE LEADERS, RESIDENTS AND WE HAD OTHER VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE, MURDERS BEING FANS.
WERE THERE.
AND CHICAGO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.
MANY OF US.
WE HAD FLASHBACKS OF THE HORRIFIC.
UGLY.
THIS POLICE MURDER OF LAQUAN MCDONALD.
AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE THIS YOUNG BOY, 17 YEARS OLD.
GOOD SHOT 16 TIMES.
HONESTLY, WHEN I SAW THAT VIDEO.
IN MANY OF US WOULD NORMALLY SWIM.
WE SAW THAT VIDEO WE THOUGHT OF LAQUAN MCDONALD.
ON STUDENT STILL ROYCE.
IT WAS AGONIZING AND MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST FRUSTRATED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THIS WOMAN.
THIS WOMAN IS IN THE SANCTITY AND SANCTUARY OF OUR OWN.
HOW SO?
AND THE PERSON WHO IS OFFICE OF THE PEACE COMES IN GUNS ARE DOWN.
SO WE WERE VERY ENTHUSED TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN AND AND TO THE NATIONAL CRAFT FOR JUSTICE FOR SONYA MASSEY AND JUST LIKE OTHERS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS PERSON SHOULD HAVE NEVER.
ON THIS FOR US FROM THE GET-GO.
6 TIMES HE HAS BEEN MOVED FROM 40 POLICE AGENCIES WORK.
CORRECT?
CORRECT.
HE'S BEEN MULTIPLE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES UNTIL HE GOT TO SAY THE ALESE EDWARDS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK JUSTICE FOR SONYA MASSEY LOOKS LIKE.
WELL, SO IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF THINGS.
I DO WANT TO FOCUS ON ONE THING THAT WOULD HELP ALL OF US.
AS YOU COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THERE IS A THING IN ILLINOIS CAUGHT THE SAFETY ACT AND THAT SAFETY IS NOT JUST CASH BAIL, BUT IT ALSO HELPS WHERE THERE ARE OFFICERS THAT DOES PARTICIPATE IN MISCONDUCT.
IT HAS BEEN LINKED OR, YOU KNOW, BUT MORE LIKE CATEGORIES IN WHAT THEY CALLED THE CERTIFICATION THAT ALLOWS THOSE OFFICERS TO BE DECERTIFIED, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU TAKE THEIR AUTHORITY AWAY.
THEY'RE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY HAVE A GUN.
AND WHEN THEY TRY TO MOVE AROUND TO OTHER AGENCIES WITHIN ILLINOIS THAT STOPS THEM FROM HAVING THAT GUN IN THE AUTHORITY THAT COMES WITH THEIR BADGE, ALMOST EQUIVALENT TO SORT DO NOT HIRE LIST, WERE THEY?
SO THEY CAN BE HARD TO GET AS A POLICE OFFICER AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
WE HAVE SOME VIDEO FROM EARLIER IN THAT ENCOUNTER BETWEEN MASSEY DEPUTY GRAYSON THAT DOES NOT SHOW THE SHOOTING.
BUT HERE'S HERE'S A BIT OF THAT.
CHAI HEALTH LAW THAT WE'RE GOING HELP WITH THAT.
I THINK OF NEED HELP WITH LESS THAN OF WE'RE WE WILL HELP I HEARD SOMEBODY CHECK YOUR HOUSE AND CHECK YOUR BACKYARD.
I WALKED ALL THE WAY ALWAYS BACKYARD CHECK YOUR FRONT YARD.
YOU CAN SEE NO, BUT OVER.
HE'S OUT HERE.
DAVID CHERRY, YOU KNOW, WE WATCH THAT AND EVEN A LITTLE BIT LATER ON INTO THAT ENCOUNTERED, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S SHE'S DISORIENTED.
SHE NEEDS HELP.
SHE CAN'T QUITE EXPRESS WHAT IS THAT SHE NEEDS, THOUGH.
HOW DO YOU SEE ALL OF AND SORT OF LIKE THE COLLAPSE IN IN POLICE TRAINING THAT HAPPENED THERE THAT ESCALATED FROM THE POINT THAT WE JUST SAW TO WHAT WE ALL KNOW HAPPENED LATER.
THE I THINK THE WHOLE THING IS ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS.
YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT, YOU YOU HAVE THESE REALLY 2 BIG BURLY MAN.
WHO SHOWED UP AT HER HOME.
AND INSTEAD OF PROVIDING COMFORT BECAUSE SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE INTRUDER INSTEAD OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, LET'S MAKE SURE THE WINDOWS AND DOORS UNLOCKED BEFORE WE LEAVE IN.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS, WE'LL COME BACK AND PROVIDE MORE CONFIDENT NECESSARY.
YOU KNOW, TAKE SOT UVALDE SHOOTER AND IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS TO SEE THIS HAPPENED HERE 2024 APPRENTICE AND, YOU KNOW, BIG PART THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN THESE CASES.
SO FAMILIES AND MITT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TRAUMATIZED ONE BY THE SHOOTING, BUT THEN WOULD TRAUMATIZE AGAIN BY BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW IT.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PROSECUTORS WON'T BRING CHARGES IF PROSECUTORS DECIDE TO BRING CHARGES.
THEY'RE ACQUITTALS BY THE JURY OR A JUDGE OR LICENSES BY JUDGE.
YOU KNOW, WE KEYBOARD YOUNG BLACK WOMAN WAS KILLED HERE IN CHICAGO SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THAT.
YOU HEAR ABOUT BREONNA TAYLOR KILLED IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.
NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE OFFICERS WHO WAS FIRED IS NOW WORKING AT DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS IS A PATTERN.
AND SO IT IS THING ABOUT JUSTICE IS THAT YOU WILL TAKE THAT DANGEROUS OFF THE STREET.
AND THEN ALSO SERVES AS A DETERRENCE SO THAT THIS GUY HE WOULD EAT, TOOK HIS WEAPON NOW BECAUSE HE'S NOT WORRIED THAT THE THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO EVEN THOUGH HE'S BEEN CHARGE, HE DOES NOT.
BASED ON HISTORY DOES NOT FEEL THAT HE'S GOING TO SERVE ANY JAIL TIME FOR KILLING THIS.
A BLESSING SAYING HE FELT CONFIDENT IN THAT MOMENT.
JUSTICE.
HE THINKS AND I ALSO NOT ONLY CAN WE BLAME THEM BUT THE BLOOD OF SONYA MASSEY IS ALSO ON THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WELL AS CONGRESS BECAUSE, YES, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS THE GEORGE FLOYD AT YES, AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, RIGHT?
A DO NOTHING.
CONGRESS DID NOT PASS LEGISLATION THEY HAD PASSED THAT LEGISLATION, WE WOULD NOW HAVE A NO.
WHAT IS THE CALL AND NO POLICE, A NATIONAL POLICE MISCONDUCT REGISTRY GET WHAT THEY TRACK.
ALL POLICE MISS MISCONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AND THAT WOULD PROHIBIT A POLICE OFFICER FROM GOING FROM ONE JURISDICTION TO ANOTHER WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I WANT TO SAY JUST ONE MORE THING.
I'M SORRY THAT THAT OUT LISTENING TO THAT CONVERSATION, WHAT THE OFFICER AND WITH SONYA MASSEY.
YEAH, AGGRESSION THAT WAS THERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAINING, YOU KNOW, DE-ESCALATING ASIDE FROM THAT.
WE REALLY WANT TO FREE UP THE TIME OF OFFICERS WHEN IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OR, YOU KNOW, THEY FEEL LIKE SOMEONE CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES THAT THEY CALL SOMEONE ELSE IN IT.
HE FELT I FELT LOOKING AT THAT VIDEO.
THERE WAS SOME IMPATIENS TALKING DOWN, JUST AGGRESSION.
THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE WE FEEL, YOU KNOW, HER IN MANY WAYS.
THAT'S SO FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO SAYING THE COUNTY SHERIFF JACK CAMPBELL GREESON SAID HE CALLED GRAY SON'S ACTIONS, QUOTE, JUSTIFIABLE AND RECKLESS.
WE KNOW THE GRAYSON HAS BEEN FIRED.
HE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER ELISE, ARE YOU SATISFIED?
BUT THAT ISN'T ENOUGH.
I MEAN, I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE THE HISTORY THIS OFFICER.
I MEAN, THAT'S ME.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, YEAH, BUT WE'RE REFLECTS PRIOR TO THIS THAT THEY IGNORED WHETHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN HIS CAREER THAT THEY COULD HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, JUST IN NOT THE FACT THAT HE WENT TO 6 DIFFERENT LEO, YOU LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN 4 YEARS.
BUT WITH THAT PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHERE THE FLAGS THAT THEY DID NOT CATCH AND IF THERE WERE THE BLOOD IS ON THEIR HANDS AS WELL.
SO THERESA HALEY, PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, SPRINGFIELD BRANCH.
HERE'S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY AFTER THE RESULTS.
SO YOU MASSEY'S AUTOPSY WERE RELEASED.
AS I WATCHED THE VIDEO AGAIN, AGAIN, I HAVE TO OR WRITE.
BLACK WOMEN ARE UNDER ATTACK.
WE FEAR FOR OUR LIVES AS WELL.
AGAIN, WE USED TO TELL OUR SONS OUR HUSBANDS, OUR NEPHEWS, THE MAN IN OUR LIVES TO BE CAREFUL AND WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE STOPPED BY THE POLICE.
NOW WE HAVE TO TELL OURSELVES OUR DAUGHTERS AND MOTHERS, OUR SISTERS ARE COUSINS.
ALESE EDWARDS.
BACK TO YOU.
IS THIS THE NEW REALITY?
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD WE BE HAVING THE SAME TALK WITH WOMEN BECAUSE THEY IN THE CASE OF BREONNA TAYLOR, SHE WAS SLEEPING IN HER BED THAT NIGHT.
THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THAT SHE COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS, YOU CANNOT BE PREPARED FOR.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE IS A NEED FOR US TO TALK TO ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR.
HONESTLY AT THE CHURCH LAST YOU KNOW, AT THE RALLY, I JUST SAID IN 2 YEARS, I JUST SAID IN TEARS, EVERYTHING THAT WENT FORTH, IT'S NOT JUST BLACK FEMALES IS NOT JUST BLACK MALES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN IS TRANSGENDER.
IT'S LIKE A LIKE LITERALLY ANYONE WHO IS AND BLACK SKIN IS UNDER ATTACK.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.
RIVER.
YOU MENTIONED THE OF THE GEORGE FLOYD JUSTICE IN POLICING WHAT WHAT WITH THE FAMILY LIKE TO SEE GOING FORWARD?
WELL, THE FATHER MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT SHERIFF SHOULD RESIGN.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS MAYBE HE WON'T RESIGN.
BUT THERE OTHER WAYS TO GET RID OF.
I WAS LOOKING AT UP BECAUSE HE WAS ELECTED.
SO HE HAS THE POWER TO SAT NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT HE COULD BE FIRED.
YOU CAN BE FIRED BY THE GOVERNOR.
HE COULD BE RECALL BY THE ELECTORATE OR HE COULD BE IMPEACHED.
BUT I THINK WE CAN'T SIT BACK AND WAIT ON HIM TO RESIGN.
WE MUST KEEP ON PUTTING THE PRESSURE BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE ELECTED AND AND THIS.
THIS IS A GREAT NEGLECT OF DUTY.
HE MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
DAVID CHERRY, 10 SECONDS LEFT.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?
YOU KNOW, REALLY AS ACCOUNTABILITY ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICER WHO NEEDS TO BE PROSECUTED AND PUNISH AND IMPRISON 40 DID ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ANYBODY WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING HIM.
6, 6 DEPARTMENTS IN 4 YEARS ON THE SUPPLE SOMEWHERE ALONG THE MIND.
SO MUCH OF THE SET.
NO MORE YOU CAN BE A POLICE OFFICER.
SO MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES, RIGHT CONSIDERED READY ABOUT IT COME IF WE CAN'T GET THAT.
GEORGE FLOYD AT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IT'S GOOD TO SONYA MASSEY HERE IN ILLINOIS IS THAT SOME COURAGEOUS STATE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATIVE STEP UP AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
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