SPRINGFIELD, Ill, Aug 10, (AP): An Illinois sheriff who hired the deputy charged in the death of Sonya Massey announced Friday that he will retire, five weeks after the 36-year-old Black woman was fatally shot in her home.
Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell, who won the office in 2018, said politics stood in the way of his effectiveness as sheriff and suggested he and his family had received death threats. Campbell, a 30-year veteran of the department, had previously said he did "not intend to step down.”
"We must honor the life of Sonya Massey by ensuring that no one else falls victim to such tragic and senseless action. That has been my sincere mission since that fateful day,” Campbell said in a statement. "But it has become clear that the current political climate has made it nearly impossible for me to continue effectively in my role.
"Some individuals would rather see our community divided and in turmoil than allow me to continue serving as sheriff,” Campbell said.
A Republican, the 60-year-old Campbell said he would vacate his office no later than Aug 31.
Gov J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, demanded this week that Campbell step aside, saying he had not provided answers to questions about how Sean Grayson became a deputy in the central Illinois county that’s home to the state capital of Springfield. Grayson, 30, was fired after being indicted on murder and other charges in Massey’s July 6 killing.
Previously, Massey's father, James Wilburn, called Campbell "an embarrassment” and called for him to quit.
Grayson, who is white, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct. He is being held without bond in the Menard County Jail. His defense attorney has declined to comment on the case.
Authorities said that after Massey called 911 to report a suspected prowler, two deputies went to her residence in Springfield, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.