Opening statements are expected to begin Wednesday morning in the murder trial of an Illinois Sheriff's deputy charged with killing Sonya Massey, a Black woman shot in her Sangamon County home last year after calling 911 for help.

The trial was moved to Peoria County, Illinois, about an hour away from where the fatal police shooting happened, due to pre-trial publicity. Security around the courthouse has also been tight, with snipers on the top of some of the buildings.

The jury was selected for the trial on Monday. The 12-person jury is made up of nine women and three men. One juror is Black.

On Tuesday, the judge agreed to drop two of the lesser charges of aggravated battery and official misconduct against Grayson. The three first-degree murder charges still stand and are what he will be tried on. Attorneys for both sides also appeared in court without the jury so the judge could hear motions ahead of opening statements.

The judge also set limitations for what expert witnesses can say during their testimony in the trial. This includes that expert witnesses for the prosecution cannot testify about national law enforcement "best practices" that may not be adopted by the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, CBS affiliate WCIA-TV reported, but testimony about the department's specific policy and Grayson's training is allowed.

Meanwhile, outside of the courthouse, supporters of Massey were vocal.

"It's pretty clear cut, it should be open and shut. I hope the jurors will do the right thing," said Chama St. Louis.

In July 2024, Massey called 911 to report a prowler outside her home. Grayson, along with another officer, responded. During their interaction, Massey walked towards a pot of water on the stove. Massey says, "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus," before the officers pulled out their weapons, yelling for her to drop the pot, before Massey was shot. 

Grayson was arrested and charged with Massey's murder. Facing mounting political and public pressure, the Sangamon County sheriff retired just weeks after the shooting.

In August, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Sonya Massey Bill, which requires more thorough background checks for officers in the state. 

Grayson was hired by Sangamon County despite a long disciplinary history at five other central Illinois departments. Grayson's previous work and disciplinary history won't be included during the trial.

During the trial, both sides agreed not to use words like "justified," "reasonable," "lawful," and "unlawful" as they could be considered loaded terms for the jury.