Jury selection begins in trial of former Illinois deputy accused of murdering Sonya Massey

PEORIA, Ill. (WLS) -- A jury of 12 has been selected in the murder trial for former Sangamon County sheriff's deputy Sean Grayson.

Grayson has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey.

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Jury selection began Monday. Alternates still need to be chosen.

Dozens of people gathered outside the Peoria County Courthouse, where Grayson's high-profile trial has begun.

The rally Monday is a show of support for Massey, the 36-year old Black woman who was shot and killed in her home near Springfield in July of 2024 after she had originally called 911 for help.

She called shortly after midnight to report a possible prowler.

Body camera footage of the incident released by Illinois State Police last year shows Massey telling Grayson and another responding deputy, "please don't hurt me" once she answered their knocks on her door.

Later, once inside, Grayson points to a pot of hot water on her stove before she pours it into the sink and tells the deputy, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," according to the video.

Grayson threatens to shoot her and Massey apologizes, ducks down behind the counter and briefly rises when Grayson shoots her three times in the face.

The case has raised questions nationally about excessive force from law enforcement. It drew so much attention that the trial was moved to Peoria after defense attorneys argued Grayson couldn't receive a fair trial in Sangamon County.

"It's very upsetting to me that Sonya Massey was tending to the stove, as she was asked to do by the cops, and one was shot by a cop for doing what they asked her to do," Valorie Engholm said.

Still, protestors against police violence and supporters of Massey have made the trip to make their voices heard.

READ MORE | Family speaks out 1 year after Sonya Massey shot, killed by former IL deputy: 'Miss her every day'

"The most important thing is to keep her name alive, so that we can make sure that people remember Sonya Massey and her legacy and what happened to her," said Tiara Standage, president of Purple Coalition in Springfield.

"We don't want this to happen to anyone else, no matter what your race or ethnicity or gender or what you believe in. We don't want it to happen ever again," said Alisha Granderson of the Peoria Parents Project. "Police actually need to care if you're going to be on the force because you're working with the community. If you don't care about the community that you're working in, it's going to reflect in your job."

Grayson's attorney confirmed to ABC News that his client has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Grayson was fired by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office after he was indicted in the case last year, and he's been held in jail ahead of his trial, despite a stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis.

"I strongly believe that we need police reform," Engholm said.

Jury selection will continue into Tuesday.

Some legal analysts believe it will be a couple-day process to seat the jurors because of the high-profile and headline-making nature of the case.

Opening statements could begin as early as Wednesday. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

Grayson faces 45 years to life in prison if convicted.

Local law enforcement are also taking no chances. The street in front of the courthouse is blocked off to traffic with police stationed on every corner of the block..

ABC News contributed to this report.