Latest news with #GrandRapidsPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Schurr juror: One holdout kept former officer from being acquitted
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A member of the jury that couldn't reach a verdict in the Christopher Schurr murder trial said race never came up in the deliberations, that Schurr helped himself by taking the stand and that there was one main holdout that kept the former officer from being acquitted. That holdout, he told Target 8 in an exchange of emails, was the jury foreperson — the only Black jury member on the 12-person jury. Schurr's defense team confirmed that. The jury could not reach a verdict after four days and 21 hours of deliberations, leading to a . Prosecutor Chris Becker on Thursday announced he would not retry the case that has divided the community. Prosecutor will not retry Christopher Schurr in Patrick Lyoya's death Becker has said the jury voted 10-2 in favor of acquittal. The defense attorney said it was 11-1 for acquittal. In an exchange of emails with Target 8, a member of the jury wrote that the foreperson 'claimed there was no way that they could see Schurr actually fearing for his life' as he and Patrick Lyoya struggled over the officer's Taser. Schurr, who is white, encountered Lyoya, who is Black, during a traffic stop in April 2022. The juror, one of three men on the jury, said it wouldn't have made sense to retry Schurr, as 'they are going to have a real tough time finding 12 people who would unanimously vote guilty in Kent County based on majority demographics alone.' The 12-member jury was made up of nine women and three men. Ten were white, one Hispanic and one, the foreperson, was Black. The juror who spoke to Target 8 didn't want to be identified. 'Ultimately,' he wrote, 'I would like to avoid having my name or any personal information attached to this as I'm not looking for that kind of exposure.' GR leaders promise 'commitment to police reforms' despite no Schurr retrial The jury deliberated for parts of four days before announcing it couldn't reach a verdict on May 8 on either the murder charge or manslaughter. The juror said the final vote was either 11-1 or 10-2 for acquittal on the second-degree murder charge. 'We didn't even really discuss manslaughter much because of the fact (that) we couldn't agree on the primary charge,' the juror wrote. Either way, it led the judge to declare a mistrial. Target 8 tried talking to other members of the jury: some could not be reached, some declined comment and others did not respond to our requests for interviews. Sharpton wants feds to investigate Lyoya death The death of Patrick Lyoya led to marches and protests and visits by civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton. But the juror said race was not part of the deliberations. 'For what it's worth,' he wrote, 'even with a diverse jury, the white/Black narrative was never something that was even considered in our conversations. It was more about the training/policies than potential political tension.' What comes next? Legal expert weighs in on Schurr mistrial Three members of the Grand Rapids Police Department, including two captains, testified that Schurr followed his training and department policies. The juror also wrote that the helped sway some. 'I do believe, based on being around all of the other jurors and with discussion with them throughout the trial, that Chris taking the stand provided clarity for some of those that remained on the fence about their vote,' he wrote. Schurr testified that he feared for his life as he and Lyoya fought over his Taser. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Kent County Prosecutor declines to retry former Grand Rapids police officer in motorist's death
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announcing that he will not seek a retrial of Christopher Schurr, a former Grand Rapids Police officer, in the death of Patrick Lyoya. May 22, 2025 | Screenshot from Kent County's YouTube Channel GRAND RAPIDS — An ex-Grand Rapids police officer who fatally shot a Black motorist following a 2022 traffic stop will not face a retrial after a first proceeding ended in a mistrial earlier this month. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Thursday that he didn't think another trial for Christopher Schurr, 34, would produce a new outcome. 'I did not arrive at (the decision) lightly,' Becker said. 'Basically, what it boils down to is I don't think we reach a different verdict if I do do a retrial in this case.' Schurr was tried for second-degree murder for the shooting death of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant. Over the course of the six-day trial, the jury heard testimony from 22 witnesses, including several experts who gave conflicting testimony on whether Schurr's decision to use deadly force was justified. The trial ended May 8 with jurors unable to reach a verdict after deliberating for nearly four days on whether to convict Schurr of second-degree murder, manslaughter or to acquit him. 'This is an extremely difficult decision,' Becker said. 'I looked at everything: I looked at our case. I looked at the defense case. I looked at the arguments that were made. I looked at the jury selection process, because I think that's one of the biggest things that, going into this, we were thinking about getting a good jury. I even went over and watched more of the trial.' Becker said he spoke to jurors after the trial and said they were evenly split with four wanting to convict, four wanting to acquit and four undecided. As deliberations continued, the vote evolved to 10-2 in favor of acquittal, although Schurr's attorney, Matt Borgula, has said the it was 11-1 in favor of acquittal after his own discussions with jurors. 'I thought we presented a good case. I presented everything I wanted. All the facts were out there that I had. It's not like I can change anything,' Becker said. Schurr pulled Lyoya over on April 4, 2022, for having a license plate that didn't match the car he was driving. When Lyoya couldn't produce a driver's license, Schurr attempted to place him under arrest, but the motorist ran. Schurr tackled Lyoya to the ground and attempted to use his Taser, but was too close and the motorist deflected the probes. The two then wrestled briefly over the device when the officer pulled out his handgun and fatally shot Lyoya in the back of the head. Schurr was fired from the Grand Rapids Police Department after he was charged in the shooting in June 2022. Becker said Thursday he spoke with Lyoya's father, Peter Lyoya, after reaching the decision this week. 'Obviously, he's very disappointed in that decision. I know there are many members of the community that are disappointed in the decision.' Attorney Ven Johnson, who represents the Lyoya family, issued a statement shortly after Becker's announcement Thursday. 'The Lyoya family has not only lost Patrick, but now the hope that former officer Christopher Schurr will ever be held criminally accountable for taking Patrick's life,' the statement read. 'With today's decision, what was once a pause in justice has now become a permanent reality. This is not a verdict nor the outcome the Lyoya family sought.' In December 2022, Lyoya's family filed a $100 million civil lawsuit in federal court against the city of Grand Rapids and Schurr. In August 2023, a judge dismissed the case against the city, but allowed the litigation to proceed against Schurr. 'We will continue to stand with the Lyoya family in their pursuit of truth, accountability and justice for Patrick, and are awaiting our day in civil court,' Johnson said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prosecutor: No retrial for ex-cop Christopher Schurr in shooting death of Patrick Lyoya
GRAND RAPIDS — A west Michigan prosecutor has decided not to retry former Grand Rapids Police Officer Christopher Schurr in the 2022 shooting death of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant, after a mistrial was declared earlier this month on a second degree murder charge. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced May 22, after reviewing the case, he was not convinced he could obtain a conviction from a jury had the case proceeded to another trial. "There is nothing factually I believe I could do differently which could impact the case for a different outcome," Becker said in a prepared statement provided to the media. Becker said Schurr will not be tried on any other or lesser charges. Schurr's case will be dismissed. Schurr, 34, was originally charged with one count of second-degree murder stemming from the April 2022 shooting of Lyoya. Schurr shot Lyoya in the back of the head after tackling him after Lyoya tried to flee a traffic stop in southeast Grand Rapids. Ven Johnson, an attorney representing the Lyoya family in a separate, civil case against Schurr, said the family expressed deep disappointment at Becker's decision. 'The Lyoya family has not only lost Patrick, but now the hope that former officer Christopher Schurr will ever be held criminally accountable for taking Patrick's life," Johnson said in a statement. "With today's decision, what was once a pause in justice has now become a permanent reality. This is not a verdict nor the outcome the Lyoya family sought." Schurr's lead defense attorney, Matt Borgula of Grand Rapids, did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment. Robert Womack, a Kent County commissioner who has called for policing policy changes, said the Lyoya family 'is definitely broken by the decision.' 'They were very, very hurt, and still trying to understand the American justice system,' Womack told reporters following Becker's announcement. 'They don't see any excuse ... for the person who shot their son in the back of the head to be walking free, but we're going to continue to work with them on the healing process.' Becker originally charged Schurr in June 2022, leading to the former officer's dismissal from the Grand Rapids Police Department. 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 that ensued after Schurr chased Lyoya. Prosecutors had argued Schurr used excessive force. Earlier this month, a Kent County jury deliberated for close to 20 hours before telling Circuit Judge Christina Mims they were unable to reach a verdict, prompting Mims to declare a mistrial May 8. Jurors heard about five-and-a-half days of argument and testimony in the trial. The jury was able to see footage of the shooting played numerous times, and from different angles, from the moment Schurr exited his patrol car to the moments after he shot Lyoya. Jurors also heard from a series of witnesses, the bulk of whom were qualified as policing experts, but also from eyewitnesses, investigators, police officers who responded to the scene of the shooting and Schurr himself. Becker told reporters that the jury was split 10-2, with the majority of jurors favoring acquittal. He said he had no second thoughts about the decision to charge Schurr. "I put the best case I could forward when I tried this case," Becker said. "I did the best I could. I did everything I could. The jury couldn't reach a verdict. I still stand by the decision." Much of the testimony focused on the Taser — defense lawyers argued Lyoya had gained possession of it from Schurr. Once Schurr believed Lyoya had control of the Taser, he was within his rights to use deadly force and shoot Lyoya, policing experts called by the defense testified. The prosecution focused large parts of its case around Schurr's training with the Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD), where he had joined as a recruit in 2015. Policing expert witnesses called by the prosecution said Schurr acted improperly by chasing Lyoya on foot after he tried to flee the traffic stop. After the mistrial was declared, some protestors in Grand Rapids called on Becker to retry the case. Demonstrators were planning on gathering to protest Becker's decision on May 22, according to social media posts. Lyoya's death, and the subsequent release of footage of the shooting to the public, sparked protests in Grand Rapids in 2022, when demonstrators called for increased police accountability. After the shooting, the Grand Rapids Police Department instituted policies including de-escalation training and emphasizing the sanctity of life. This story is developing. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Prosecutor: No retrial for ex-police officer Schurr in death of Lyoya
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
17-year-old charged with murder in shooting of 15-year-old in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A 17-year-old now faces a murder charge in the death of a 15-year-old who was gunned down in Grand Rapids last year. Cartiyae Pascal was arraigned Tuesday on a count of open murder and a weapons charge in the death of Amillier Penn, Grand Rapids Police Department Chief Eric Winstrom confirmed. Winstrom said he is being charged as an adult. 'For nearly a year, GRPD detectives have been following every lead and every tip, painstakingly building this case to bring justice for Milli and his family,' Winstrom said in a statement. 'The brazen murder of a 15-year-old child, out playing football with his friends, is one that I hope our city will never forget. I know that there are many people in Grand Rapids and across the country who have been invested in justice for Milli. While it can never erase the sense of loss, I hope that gives some measure of healing to his family and loved ones.' Pascal's name had already when a docuseries about GRPD premiered in April. The first episode spotlighted the investigation into Amillier's death. 'There is just a ton of work to be done (in this murder investigation). And as was showcased in this episode, I think the biggest obstacle for this was the trust,' GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom told News 8 after the show aired. He said he hoped the docuseries would encourage people to come forward with information. Winstrom was skeptical that releasing the suspect's name before charges were filed would affect the criminal case. Pascal's attorney, who is representing him in a separate shooting, disagreed. 'If the Grand Rapids Police Department were also involved in the production or the disclosure of the information and discovery, I think that can be and probably is very prejudicial to my client,' attorney Barton Morris said. Amillier, who went by Milli, was shot and killed in broad daylight on June 2 while playing football with friends on Umatilla Street SE near Madison Avenue. 'In this case, this young man was playing football with friends. He wasn't engaged in some kind of illegal activity. He wasn't armed with a handgun. He's 15 years old. So I don't think when we discover a motive that it's gonna be a motive that makes any sense,' Grand Rapids Police Department Chief Eric Winstrom said in the days after the killing. GRPD docuseries names uncharged suspect in death of teen: Could that hurt the case? For months, Milli's family begged for information about the shooter. 'Fifteen years old and had his whole life ahead of him, taken from him, robbed from him for nothing,' Corey Penn, Amillier's dad, told News 8 in July. 'It still feel like the same day. It feels like when I got that phone call when my son was shot. That is what it feels like and it feels like that every single day.' A $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest was offered through Silent Observer. 'We are fighting against what seems to be a culture amongst the witnesses of a code of silence,' Winstrom said in July. 'You've got a child, a 15-year-old boy, who was playing football. Whatever the history, whatever the motive was, it doesn't make sense and it doesn't make sense for adults who were there and who have information not to come forward and do the right thing for Milli.' 'It's no honor amongst thieves. I can say that, and it runs parallel with this situation because my son was robbed of his life at 15 years old,' Penn said. 'So we as a community, as adults, we've got to start taking some accountability for the things that we allow. Somebody has got to stand up and set an example.' 'Stand up': Family seeks tips in Grand Rapids teen's death Penn said he would not watch the docuseries episode about his son's death. 'I didn't watch the documentary, because this is an everyday hell for me that I'm living in,' he told News 8 in April. 'I sat for six hours to get past that yellow tape to view my son's body. But I want to remember my son how I last seen him alive, as much as possible.' Father won't watch GRPD docuseries episode on son's killing: 'I'm still living it' Corey Penn and Seeds of Promise GR have asked the city of Grand Rapids to designate Umatilla Street SE from Madison Avenue to Union Avenue as 'Amillier Penn Way.' On Tuesday, the city of Grand Rapids Community Development Committee scheduled a public hearing on the requested commemorative street name designation for June 10. Milli was one of two 15-year-olds shot and killed in Grand Rapids within weeks of each other last year. La-kyijah Williams was shot dead May 18 in the city's Arena District. Josiah Pittman, 18, was . Pascal was in an unrelated shooting on Sept. 1, 2024, that injured a man. In that case, police say, a shooter '(lay) in wait' for the victim when he came out of a convenience store on Madison Avenue at Dickinson Avenue SE, then shot him multiple times. The victim's mother, who narrowly avoided gunfire, rushed him to the hospital and doctors were able to save his life. Surveillance, rap videos helped ID shooting suspect, detective says Police say they have video that shows Pascal was the shooter outside the convenience store, and that his mother also identified him as the person in the video when she accompanied her son to a police interrogation. Detectives said Pascal and his mother kept talking in the interview room after they left the room, testifying that Pascal's mother asked, 'How many times did you shoot him?' and Pascal replied, 'Um, about five.' 'She asks if there's any more bodies on the gun, and he says, 'No,'' police testimony continued. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters march in Grand Rapids after mistrial declared in murder trial of former officer
GRAND RAPIDS — Protesters in downtown Grand Rapids had a message for Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker May 8: seek a second trial of Christopher Schurr, the former police officer charged with murder over the 2022 killing of Patrick Lyoya. 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@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Protesters call for retrial after deadlock in Christopher Schurr trial
