By JENNIFER FULLER,
HANNAH MEISEL
& JERRY NOWICKI
Capitol News Illinois
news@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker has amplified calls this week for Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell to resign.
Campbell is facing sharp criticism in the murder investigation of Sonya Massey, who died in her home after being shot by then-Deputy Sean Grayson. She had called police on July 6 to report noises outside her home. The day prior, she and her mother made 911 calls related to mental health crises.
Read more: Sangamon County Sheriff’s deputy charged with first-degree murder | Bodycam video shows Sonya Massey’s last minutes, deputy’s coarse description
Grayson has since been charged with murder and fired from his position in the department. Questions remain about what Campbell knew about Grayson, and when. Investigations have found Grayson had a troubled past – including two DUIs – and he bounced between six different police departments in four years.
Read more: Grayson’s behavior in Logan County led superior to ask, ‘How are you still employed with us?’ | Capitol Briefs: Grayson personnel file released, Stateville inmates ask to be moved
Pritzker has grown increasingly critical of Campbell, who has said he won’t resign. This week, Pritzker issued a joint statement with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton calling on Campbell to step down.
“I ask the question simply, and I think people have for a month now: what did the sheriff know about his background?” Pritzker said. “Why didn’t he do more work on his background before hiring? And a month has gone by. Again, a lot could have been said about that over the course of this month.”
While Campbell has said he tried to meet with the Massey family at their request, Pritzker criticized him for not making a meeting happen. He accused Campbell of playing politics and being more interested in saving his career.
“It’s been a month,” Pritzker said at a Wednesday news conference. “We should have seen already a meeting with the Massey family. If he’s reached out, he hasn’t done a very good job.”
Massey’s family is also calling for Campbell’s resignation, with her father saying he’d go so far as to challenge Campbell in the next election if he doesn’t step down.
Grayson is scheduled to be back in court later this month in the case. He’s being held at an undisclosed location.
Pritzker on Thursday didn’t offer next legislative steps, although he said he’s listened to the Massey family about what they think needs to change.
“It’s hard to tell exactly what could be done,” he said. “Especially when there isn’t transparency in the sheriff’s department about how this person was hired.”
