Daily Briefing: Justice for Sonya Massey
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into the death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was fatally shot by law enforcement inside her home. Vice President Kamala Harris is leading Donald Trump in new polling. A draconian abortion ban in Iowa is set to go into effect.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Want to talk about death?
Justice Department will investigate shooting of Sonya Massey
One after day after Illinois State Police publicly released body camera footage of Sonya Massey's fatal shooting, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced the case is now part of a Justice Department investigation. The 36-minute body camera footage shows the rapid escalation that led former Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy Sean P. Grayson to shoot Massey, 36, inside her home in Springfield, Illinois.
What happened: Grayson and another deputy responded to Massey's house on July 6 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder.
In the body camera video: Grayson yells at Massey over moving a pot of boiling water from the stove to the sink. He then threatens to shoot her in the face and screams at her to drop the pot. The video shows Massey ducking before Grayson fires at her three times, including a fatal shot to the head.
Grayson, 30, of Riverton, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery, and official misconduct. He remains in custody without bail.
The scope and scale of the official investigation is still unclear, Crump said. But details of Massey's death have prompted major outcry, including from President Joe Biden who called the shooting "unthinkable, senseless" and "shocking, horrifying and heartbreaking".
Kamala Harris holds slight lead over Trump, poll says
Vice President Kamala Harris has been quickly building momentum among the Democratic base as she seeks to clinch her party’s nomination - and former President Donald Trump may be in trouble with his new competitor, a new poll shows. Harris is leading Trump 44% to 42% among registered voters.
💡 Keep reading: Who is on the list to be Harris' running mate?
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sonya Massey, Kamala Harris, Trump, election, Israel, Secret Service, Delta, Paris Olympics: Daily Briefing
