A jury could not reach a unanimous verdict in the murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, leading to a mistrial being declared Thursday. The decision came after jurors deliberated for more than 20 hours in the case involving the 2022 death of Patrick Lyoya.
Kent County Circuit Court Judge Christina Mims declared the mistrial after the jury foreperson confirmed the panel was unable to agree on a verdict. The jury had previously indicated it was deadlocked on Tuesday but was instructed to continue deliberations. They continued their work through Wednesday before returning Thursday morning.
The case stemmed from an April 4, 2022, traffic stop where Christopher Schurr stopped Lyoya, a 26-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A struggle ensued between the two after Lyoya exited his vehicle and ran from Schurr. The altercation lasted approximately 2.5 minutes and involved grappling over Schurr’s Taser before the officer shot Lyoya in the back of the head.
Prosecutors had charged Schurr with second-degree murder in June 2022, arguing the shooting was unjustified. Schurr's legal team maintained that the officer acted in self-defense, fearing for his life after Lyoya gained control of his Taser. Appeals by the defense delayed the trial for years after the incident on Grand Rapids’ Southeast Side.
A jury of 14 individuals was seated April 23 to hear the case. Testimony focused heavily on the struggle over the Taser and whether Lyoya posed a serious threat to Schurr. Prosecution experts questioned Schurr's tactics and the necessity of deadly force, while defense experts supported Schurr's actions as reasonable given the circumstances, particularly the control of the Taser. Defense witnesses included Grand Rapids Police Department captains who testified Schurr did not violate department policy and was justified in shooting because Lyoya controlled his Taser.
Schurr took the stand in his own defense during the trial, a choice he stated was important to share his account. He described being exhausted during the struggle and feared Lyoya would use the Taser on him, leading him to believe his life was in danger.
Defense attorney tells jurors argued that prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Schurr's fear was unreasonable, presenting the case as one of a lawful stop that escalated due to Lyoya's resistance. Closing arguments from both sides presented contrasting views on the moments leading to the shot, with the prosecution stating Lyoya was attempting to flee and did not present a deadly threat, and the defense maintaining Schurr made a necessary split-second decision.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker must now decide whether to pursue a new trial against Christopher Schurr. A retrial would require empaneling a new jury, which presents challenges given the public attention the case has received.
Speaking in his own defense during the trial, Schurr described his state of mind during the physical confrontation. "I believe if I didn’t do what I did when I did it, I wouldn’t be here today,” Schurr testified.
