Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Noted civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, was the featured speaker at a meeting held at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church on Wednesday evening.

About 150 people, many clad in purple, were in attendance. At times the meeting took on the appearance of an old-time revival meeting with many of the speakers getting standing ovations and call-and-response cheers throughout.

Crump spoke about the efforts to keep the Sonya Massey tragedy in the forefront of the national consciousness. He said Sonya should be remembered at the upcoming Democratic National Convention next week. He thanked the community for continued support to ensure there is justice for the memory of Sonya and her surviving family members.

Former Illinois NAACP president, Theresa Haley, was both the master of ceremonies and the lead singer in the Pleasant Grove choir which performed several songs in memory of Ms. Massey.