US EditionTrial of Michigan police officer charged in fatal shooting of Congolese immigrant ends in hung jury
- On May 8, 2025, the judge called a mistrial after the jury was unable to agree on a verdict in the trial of former Grand Rapids officer Christopher Schurr, who faced charges of second-degree murder.
- The trial centered on the 2022 shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Black man originally from Congo and aged 26, by officer Christopher Schurr during a traffic stop for improper license plates.
- The jury deliberated for about 20 hours over several days but remained deadlocked despite instructions urging fair discussion and possible conviction of lesser charges.
- Schurr testified he feared for his life, saying, “I believed that if I hadn't done it at that time, I wasn't going to go home,” while prosecution argued he acted unreasonably despite multiple Taser deployments.
- The mistrial ends current proceedings, leaving the Kent County prosecutor to decide whether to retry Schurr, amid ongoing local calls for racial justice and police reform.
62 Articles
62 Articles
Mistrial declared in trial of Michigan police officer who killed Congolese immigrant
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after a Michigan jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict in the second-degree murder trial of a police officer who shot Patrick Lyoya, a Black man, in the back of the head following a traffic stop in 2022.
Lyoya family after case is declared mistrial: 'We will keep fighting until we get justice'
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The parents of Patrick Lyoya say they are in pain, but they will not give up on justice for their son after a jury deadlocked in the case of the former Grand Rapids officer accused of murder in Lyoya's death. The judge declared a mistrial Thursday morning after the jury reported — for the second time — it could not reach a verdict. Christopher Schurr was accused of second-degree murder in Lyoya's death. No one ever d…
Inside the courtroom: Families silent as mistrial declared in Christopher Schurr murder trial
The contrast between inside the courtroom and along the streets outside the courthouse is significant.During the nearly two-week homicide trial for former police officer Christopher Schurr, protesters shouted while protesting outside the courthouse.
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