Sangamon County sheriff to retire by end of month

SPRINGFIELD (Capitol News Illinois) — A little over a month after the shooting death of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell on Friday announced his retirement, effective no later than Aug. 31.

His announcement comes amid intense pressure to resign, including from Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday. 

The Massey shooting raised questions regarding the hiring of Deputy Sean Grayson, who worked at six departments around central Illinois in four years. 

Grayson shot Massey on July 6 after she called 911 to report a prowler. Massey was unarmed and in her kitchen when a dispute over a pot of boiling water resulted in Grayson firing three shots, including a fatal shot that killed Massey.

“The tragic death of Sonya Massey has been a heartbreaking event for our community,” Campbell said in a statement released on Friday. “My deepest condolences go out to her family and friends. Since the incident, I have been proactive and transparent, working tirelessly to present all of the facts to the public. I have committed to making changes to our standards and collaborating with other units of government on ways to prevent incidents like this in the future.” 

Campbell had not met with the Massey family, an omission that Pritzker called “inexcusable” on Thursday.

“Rather than waiting for others to propose reform of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Campbell should have taken his leadership role more seriously. When we met with Sonya Massey’s family, we heard their pleas and made a commitment to support them in working for justice,” Pritzker said. 

Campbell, in his statement, continued to blame Grayson alone for Massey’s shooting. He alluded to threats against his and his family’s lives and threats against other sheriff’s deputies. 

“The one person truly responsible for this act is in jail, and I believe justice will be served through the legal process,” Campbell said in the statement.

Campbell, a Republican, was first elected in 2018. 

He hired Grayson in 2023, and has said that he had no knowledge of Grayson’s previous trouble at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. 

Previous concerns

Last month the Logan County Sheriff’s Office released a 2 1/2 hour recording of a disciplinary meeting with Grayson and his superiors. 

During that meeting, Grayson was questioned about his accuracy and integrity in reports, including a report regarding a high-speed pursuit, and insubordination. Grayson did not terminate the pursuit after being ordered to stop by his supervisor. 

In his application for the Sangamon County position, Grayson gave a reference at the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, but, according to his personnel file, no one talked to his director supervisor or the chief deputy regarding his job performance. The file shows that Sangamon County only interviewed one Logan County employee during its background check process, an investigator whose name was provided by Grayson.

Six months after that disciplinary meeting, Campbell hired Grayson, who was engaged to the daughter of one of his longtime deputies, Scott Butterfield. 

A little more than a year into his tenure with Sangamon County, Campbell fired Grayson, citing the criminal charges against him in the Massey case, and his refusal to cooperate with Illinois State Police who were investigating the shooting – a violation of department policy.

Grayson appeared in court on Friday afternoon to renew his efforts for release pending his trial. He cited his need for cancer treatment and personal safety concerns as reasons for his release. His attorneys further stated that he was not a threat to the community as he no longer served as an armed police officer. 

The judge disagreed and found Grayson should be held until trial.

Campbell’s retirement announcement came just before the hearing began, ending a 30-year law enforcement career. 

“While it is painful to say goodbye, I do so knowing I have fulfilled my duties and served to the best of my ability,” Campbell wrote in his retirement announcement. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to the citizens who have supported me throughout the years. I am forever grateful for the opportunity I had, for the people I met and for this Office that I love.”

He signed the statement simply, “Jack.” 

Beth Hundsdorfer, Capitol News Illinois

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Beth Hundsdorfer is a veteran investigative reporter who spent nearly 20 years at the Belleville News-Democrat, 13 of which were spent on the investigative beat. She also covered cops and courts.

Her investigative journalism included work on issues such as solitary confinement in the Illinois Department of Corrections, fatal flaws in the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services that resulted in the death of 53 children, discriminatory housing practices in the city of Belleville and dismal prosecution rates in sex crimes cases in southern Illinois.

Her resume includes two John Jay College Journalism awards for excellence in criminal justice, a National Headliners Grand Award, a George Polk Award and a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award for local reporting among other accolades.

Prior to joining Capitol News Illinois in November 2021, she had a brief stint at St. Louis Public Radio, and she spent two years as the public information officer at the Illinois State Police, fielding news media inquiries on issues ranging from traffic crashes to policy and procedure.

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