Update: Mistrial declared in case of ex-Grand Rapids police officer who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya
GRAND RAPIDS — A west Michigan jury is slated to enter a fourth day of deliberations May 8, as it has yet to produce a verdict in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr.
The 12-person jury heard five-and-a-half days of testimony in the trial starting April 28, where prosecutors allege Schurr used excessive force in the April 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant who was 26 at the time of his death. Lyoya and Schurr were engaged in a physical struggle after Lyoya had attempted to flee from Schurr during a traffic stop.
If convicted of second-degree murder, Schurr faces up to life in prison. Before jurors began deliberating May 5, Kent County 17th Circuit Judge Christina Mims included voluntary manslaughter as a secondary charge in her instructions to the jury, over objections from Schurr’s defense attorneys. Manslaughter is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in Michigan.
Jurors had initially informed Mims on May 6 they could not reach a verdict at 3 p.m., after about nine hours of deliberation. Matt Borgula, Schurr’s lead defense attorney, had motioned for a mistrial at the time, but Mims instructed the jury to continue seeking a verdict.
Schurr’s attorneys had argued the former officer was acting in self defense, after Lyoya attempted to grab Schurr’s Taser during the physical struggle. Prosecutors had argued Schurr used excessive force.
Outside the courthouse in downtown Grand Rapids, demonstrators continued to gather May 7 to await a verdict, as they had since the trial began April 28. Some waved “thin blue line” flags, a common signal of law enforcement support. Others, in larger numbers, arrived at the courthouse to support the Lyoya family. Dozens of demonstrators chanted “justice for Patrick” at vehicles passing by, some honking in apparent signs of support.
On May 6, demonstrators clashed outside the courthouse. One woman was arrested for fighting, a Grand Rapids Police (GRPD) spokesperson confirmed to the Free Press. An investigation attempting to identify other involved individuals will take place, the spokesperson said. GRPD officers have been stationed across the street on bikes since demonstrations started.
Schurr was patrolling the southeast side of Grand Rapids on the morning of April 4, 2022, when he pulled over Lyoya for a traffic stop. Lyoya later tried to run away from Schurr, who chased after him and tackled him in a nearby front lawn. As the two struggled, Lyoya attempted to grab Schurr’s Taser, footage released by the GRPD and played in court shows. Just before Schurr fatally shot Lyoya in the back of the head, he yelled, “Let go of the Taser,” footage shows.
Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Grand Rapids jury continues to deliberate in murder trial of former officer Schurr
Reporting by Arpan Lobo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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