Latest news with #Lyoya
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Patrick Lyoya family to speak after decision not to retry Christopher Schurr
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The family of Patrick Lyoya is hosting a press conference Thursday morning after a prosecutor decided not to retry the former Grand Rapids police officer who shot and killed their son in 2022. Lyoya's parents will be joined by civil rights attorneys Ven Johnson and Ben Crump at the 9 a.m. press conference. They'll be addressing Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker's decision to not retry Christopher Schurr. The attorneys are also expected to outline the next steps in the family's civil lawsuit again Schurr. Will Michigan AG retry Christopher Schurr in death of Patrick Lyoya? Schurr shot and killed Lyoya during a traffic stop on April 4, 2022. He was charged with second degree murder, but a mistrial was declared on May 8 after the jury was unable to make a unanimous decision on whether to convict or acquit him of second degree murder or, as a second option, manslaughter. The 12-member jury included nine women and three men; Ten were white, one was Hispanic and one was Black. The mistrial followed five and a half days of testimony and 21 hours of jury deliberations. On May 22, Becker announced he would not retry Schurr. Schurr juror: One holdout kept former officer from being acquitted 'I did not arrive at (the decision) lightly,' Becker said at the time. '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.' Lyoya's family has filed a civil wrongful death suit against Schurr. Thursday's press conference will share the latest on that case, 'aimed at securing justice and accountability for Patrick's preventable death,' a media advisory says. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lyoya family hurt, Schurr relieved by prosecutor's decision not to retry, advocates say
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Kent County commissioner who has stood with the family of Patrick Lyoya since he was shot and killed by a then-Grand Rapids police officer says the family is heartbroken knowing the criminal case is over. '(The Lyoya family is) very hurt, still trying to understand the American justice system. They don't see any excuse for this verdict or for the person who shot their son in the back of the head to be free,' Commissioner Robert Womack said. 'We're going to continue to work them on the healing process.' Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Thursday that he would not retry Christopher Schurr, whom he had charged with second-degree murder in the April 2022 death of Lyoya, a 26-year-old refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. After years of appeals, the case went to trial in late April. On May 8, the jury deadlocked. Prosecutor will not retry Christopher Schurr in Patrick Lyoya's death Schurr's attorneys, Matthew Borgula and Mark Dodge, said their client feels relieved and vindicated by Becker's decision. 'But certainly not celebration,' Dodge said. 'As far as the last three years, it's never been anything to celebrate for Mr. Schurr and his family.' 'The prosecutor got this right here, that a retrial wouldn't be good for anybody because at best it would've ended up in another hung jury,' Borgula said. In a Facebook post, the Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge of Michigan commended Becker's choice not to pursue a retrial. 'This decision reflects a recognition of the complex and split-second circumstances law enforcement officers face in the line of duty,' the post read. Schurr juror: One hold-out kept former officer from being acquitted The attorney representing Lyoya's family in a civil wrongful death suit against Schurr said in a statement that the decision not to retry meant the family would never see justice in a criminal court. '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. 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,' attorney Ven Johnson stated. '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.' Womack praised Becker's work on the case and takes the prosecutor at his word that a guilty verdict would be difficult to achieve. 'I think the jury is reflective of the community, that we are split in half when it comes to this situation here in Grand Rapids,' Womack said. Womack added that he remains disappointed the case wasn't retried and wants to continue to fight for police reform in the city of Grand Rapids. Greater Grand Rapids NAACP President Cle Jackson and Urban League of West Michigan President Eric Brown feel differently. 'My initial reaction was anger. I'll be candid. It was anger then it moved to disappointment and devastation. I could not believe this was the decision he came to,' Brown said. They say Lyoya's family and the community deserved another chance. 'It's devastating. It's devastating. We had an opportunity to again to go back, retry and try to get it right. Patrick deserves that,' Jackson said. 'The Lyoya family deserves that opportunity to retry. Just like the ex-officer Schurr had an opportunity to due process.' 'We had the opportunity to get it right, didn't make it, but we had another opportunity to do even better, to try even harder. I think that was justice disserved,' Brown agreed. They argued the leader of Michigan State Police, the Grand Rapids police chief and the Grand Rapids city manager all should have been called to testify as expert witnesses, and questioned why a woman whose husband is a police officer was allowed to remain on the jury. Jackson and Brown say they have reached out to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, urging her to take up the case. Grand Rapids leaders promise 'commitment to police reforms' despite no Schurr retrial Womack said his goal now is to continue to fight for reforms to policing in West Michigan. 'This just gives us more motivation to fight for better police and community relations. That's only going to change with policies, training and laws being changed that will protect our community from incidents like this,' he said. Jackson, the NAACP president, noted the Grand Rapids Police Department did make some changes to policy after Lyoya's death, but said those changes don't have any teeth. 'There's no level of enforcement and oversight embedded in policy,' he said. In statements Thursday, Grand Rapids city leaders said they are committed to ongoing dialogue and reforms. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Decision not to retry former police officer sparks outrage among Grand Rapids residents
Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz 'No Justice, No Peace' and 'Justice for Patrick' chants were heard again in downtown Grand Rapids Thursday, as community members gathered to demand justice for Patrick Lyoya and accountability for Grand Rapids police. Dozens of demonstrators rallied with signs in hand at the doors of the Kent County Courthouse to share their frustration and anger against the decision by Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker not to seek a second trial against former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr. Schurr was charged with second-degree murder and later fired from the police force after fatally shooting Lyoya, a Black Congolese refugee, in the back of the head while he was facing the ground following a traffic stop on April 4, 2022. The confrontation escalated into a struggle when Lyoya tried to flee after failing to produce a driver's license. During the announcement of his decision, Becker noted his decision was based on the fact that 'there was never a majority for a guilty verdict' among the 12 jurors, whom he interviewed after the mistrial was declared May 8. Thursday's 'emergency rally' was organized by organizations including the Grand Rapids Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, demanding a retrial on the Schurr case. 'I'm going to be very clear in saying that if the Grand Rapids City Commission is not willing to listen to us and reform the police, there may be a time for us to escalate. That doesn't mean being violent, but it does mean maybe we need to disrupt the way that things are done in this city,' said Ivan Diaz, 27, a Michigan State senate candidate. The rally was just the latest outlet for members of the public to vent their anger. Days after the mistrial, community members gave passionate comments at the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting, demanding justice for Lyoya and accountability over police actions. Additionally, on May 15, the NAACP organized a community listening session where residents expressed their experiences with police abuse and their outrage over the mistrial. 'I am going to keep showing up with everyone of you until we get the changes that we need. Because if we don't, one of us, or one of our family members or friends, we will continue to be at risk of becoming Mother Patrick, Mother Rowley, Mother Sammy,' Erykai Cage, 44, said during her speech. As the rally continued, more people began to approach the crowd, including Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand and Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack. However, only Womack stayed and took the microphone to address the public, while LaGrand limited himself to speaking to a few media members and some demonstrators around the crowd before leaving. 'What you have seen is supposed to be a trial. But what it has come down to is a test of our resilience. Does Grand Rapids go back to business as usual? Do the politicians who refuse to help change the policies and laws surrounding police and community relations, do they go back to business as usual? We have to be resilient,' Womack told the crowd. Womack's speech raised concerns among the audience about the absence of other politicians, with people asking why other commissioners weren't present. 'The only thing they care about is their careers. They do not care about anything else. And if you want to test me, you can say, 'Hey, maybe Commissioner Womack is just saying that.' Okay, then where the hell are they right now?' Womack said. Before the rally ended, the demonstrators chanted pro-Lyoya slogans and held up their signs. There was little police presence around the rally, and no counter protesters, so the gathering ended without incident. 'To me, this is personal because I'm a Black mother, and these children are, at the end of the day, somebody's children, and they are also members of my community. We're unheard. They [politicians] have everything that they wanted. This is what their decisions made, not ours,' Cage said. 'As long as I have breath in my body, I'm optimistic because I'm going to continue to do what I need to do in order to make sure that I see justice,' she finished. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack speaks to the press outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids on May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Grand Rapids Mayor LaGrand speaks to the press outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids on May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Demonstrators gathered outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids to rally against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz Ivan Diaz, a Michigan State senate candidate, gives a speech outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids against the decision not to retry Christopher Schurr. May 22, 2025 | Photo by Erick Diaz Veliz
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Christopher Schurr mistrial shows prompts questions about criminal justice system
After a deadlocked jury forced a mistrial in the recent second-degree murder trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, the prosecutor's decision to forgo a do-over of the trial leaves the family of the victim Patrick Lyoya to grieve without a verdict that might have brought them closure. Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant was stopped by Schurr in 2022 because his vehicle had bad plates. Schurr gave chase when Lyoya exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. The two engaged in a furious grappling match, and while Lyoya was face-down on the ground, Schurr claims that he shot Lyoya in the head because he feared for his life after Lyoya reached for the officer's taser. While many are frustrated by the mistrial, and subsequent decision to not retry the case, some have expressed satisfaction and appreciation for the jury's presumably thorough, careful deliberations. In a system established to administer criminal justice we can't ask for more, right? Wrong. More opinion: Christopher Schurr's murder trial ended in a hung jury. It still has value. There are many people of color and other people of good will who in the wake of this mistrial are speculating about whether there would have been a hung jury, or even whether the jury deliberations would have been careful and considered if the situation had been reversed. If an African immigrant had placed a pistol against the skull of a white police officer and pulled the trigger, would there have been a rush to conviction, or instead would a jury presume the defendant's innocence as the law requires and carefully consider all evidence and exculpatory defenses? We can't know with certainty how these jurors — 10 of them white, three Hispanic and one biracial — or any other predominantly white jury would react, but scientific findings provide a basis for unsettling questions. In a 2018 article published in the DePaul Journal for Social Justice, legal analyst Jonathan M. Warren explains: 'While issues of racial discrimination are a problem all their own, these issues are often compounded because of the lack of jury diversity. Many times, the jury pool looks much different than the defendant, as juries across America tend to be white and upper-middle class. Instead of being tried by a jury of one's peers, a defendant usually finds himself facing 'peers' with a higher economic class, lighter skin tone, different social background, and inability to truly empathize with the defendant's circumstances. This problem is pronounced with race, especially in regard to African-Americans. For example, one study found all-white juries convict black defendants 16% more often than white defendants. However, when at least one African-American was included in the jury pool, the racial conviction gap fell to nearly even.' This phenomenon is not a mystery. For generations this country has been conditioned to believe Black people are criminal by nature. Prior to the Civil War, free Blacks living in northern cities competed with white workers for jobs and other economic opportunities, and to justify campaigns to colonize them in Africa, lies were fabricated about the inherent criminality of Black people. During Reconstruction, when southern sheriffs determined they could make a profit from renting prisoners to plantation owners who lost their slave labor, they arrested Black people en masse amidst swirling lies about Black people's supposed rampant criminal conduct. Finally, Blacks who were defiant or 'uppity' were often accused of rapes and murders that never occurred, and then summarily killed by mobs. NAACP records reflect that between 1882 and 1968 there were 4,743 lynchings, with Blacks comprising 72% of the victims. In the modern era, police patrolling patterns are too often fueled by stereotypes of Black criminality and white innocence. Police often create self-fulfilling prophecies by looking for crime in Black communities – and finding it, while many crimes that occur with regularity in upscale white communities go undetected. What should be of concern to all is the fact that the presumption of criminality is a malignant phenomenon that has metastasized into other communities of color. Consider that all that is needed to prove gang membership and the need for a life sentence in a hell-hole prison in El Salvador is Latino heritage and tattoos. But racial dynamics are not the only factor to be considered. The fact that Schurr was a police officer complicates an already complicated situation. In his article, Warren explains: '…[T]he current composition of juries tends to be more favorable to the prosecution and police. One manifestation of this bias is through increased credibility of police testimony. Such unearned officer credibility creates an atmosphere of reduced scrutiny, as jurors are more willing to take an officer at her word without the necessary analysis, reasoning, and ultimate weighing of credibility. Less police scrutiny leads to problems for the judicial system, especially because police officers, like anyone, are not perfect.' The prosecutor has decided not to retry the Grand Rapids case, and the community must now move forward. In doing so perhaps all will be best served by remaining acutely aware that criminal proceedings that appear to be proper unavoidably occur against a historical and social backdrop that includes racial stereotypes and implicit biases that alternately favor and disfavor certain communities and law enforcement officers. Notwithstanding their best efforts to be fair and to render a just result, in America, no jury is immune. Mark P. Fancher is the staff attorney for the Racial Justice Project of the ACLU of Michigan. Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online and in print. Like what you're reading? Please consider supporting local journalism and getting unlimited digital access with a Detroit Free Press subscription. We depend on readers like you. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Christopher Schurr mistrial in Lyoya shooting has history | Opinion
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
