Protesters march in Grand Rapids after mistrial declared in murder trial of former officer
Hours earlier, a jury had deadlocked over a second-degree murder charge against Schurr, causing a judge to declare a mistrial in Kent County Circuit Court. Schurr fatally shot Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, in the back of the head after tackling him after Lyoya tried to flee a traffic stop on April 4, 2022.
The mistrial declaration prompted demonstrations, where activists led marches and made speeches calling on Becker to continue seeking accountability for the shooting.
Becker told reporters at a press conference that he would take time to consider whether to retry the case. Cristian Bartolo, a Grand Rapids resident who was among those gathered outside the 17th Circuit Court, said Becker had a duty to seek a second trial against Schurr.
"It's his job to hold government officials accountable, whether it's a corrupt mayor or a police officer," Bartolo told the Detroit Free Press. "It's his job to uphold the laws."
A crowd of around a hundred people participated in demonstrations Thursday evening, beginning with chants and speeches outside the courthouse and later a march through parts of downtown Grand Rapids. Chants of "justice for Patrick," "no justice, no peace," and "say his name" were shouted by protesters. The crowd included people of varying ages, from children to seniors, and backgrounds. Speakers were Black, but white people marched by their sides.
The protest was similar to those that took place three years ago, after the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) released footage of Schurr shooting Lyoya to the public, although the previous protests were much larger in size.
More: Mistrial for ex-Grand Rapids officer Christopher Schurr, who fatally shot Patrick Lyoya
Some Michigan State Police troopers on bikes advised demonstrators to march on the sidewalk when they began walking down Fulton Street, a main road in Grand Rapids.
Those leading Thursday's demonstrations said it was important to continue pressuring Becker.
"I'm not going to lie, I don't have a lot of faith in the system," said Aly Bates, one of the demonstration's leaders. She later added, "we cannot allow the city to forget what happened."
Jurors deliberated for roughly 20 hours before informing 17th Circuit Judge Christina Mims they were unable to reach a verdict. Mims declared a mistrial in the case, where jurors heard about five-and-a-half days of arguments and testimony.
Schurr's lead defense attorney, Matt Borgula, told reporters after the mistrial declaration he did not believe the case should go to court again. 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.
Attorneys for the Lyoya family had urged community members to show support during the trial and stressed they wanted demonstrations to remain peaceful.
Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack, who could be seen seated next to the Lyoya family during the trial, said community members had urged city officials in Grand Rapids to enact new policing standards in the years leading up to Lyoya's killing. In 2022, after the shooting, many protesting in Grand Rapids said Lyoya's death reopened wounds formed after years of mistrust between the community and police.
More: Christopher Schurr testifies in trial over Lyoya shooting, says he feared for his life
Womack told demonstrators to continue pressuring elected officials.
"It's up to us, and we have got to make them see," Womack said.
Becker said a decision on retrying the case is likely to come in a matter of weeks.
Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Protesters call for retrial after deadlock in Christopher Schurr trial
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