Trial for Former GRPD Officer Charged in Lyoya Killing Pushed to Fall
A judge determined Friday that the trial of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr for the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya will not take place until the fall of 2023.
Schurr has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Lyoya. Lyoya was killed following a traffic stop on April 4, 2022. The shooting sparked public outrage, which was further amplified after the GRPD released surveillance footage of the shooting nine days later.
The video showed Schurr and Lyoya struggling over a taser, and then Shurr shooting Lyoya in the back of the head while he had him pinned to the ground.
Why Has Christopher Schurr's Trial Been Pushed to Fall?
WZZM-13 reports that the attorneys for Schurr requested the push, citing a few different reasons. Namely, one of the members of Schurr's defense team recently passed away. In addition, another member of the team recently had a death in the family, and attorneys say that they also need more time to look over the over 30,000 pages of files related to the case.
The prosecutor did not object to pushing the trial, and Judge Mark Trusock granted the push, setting the new trial date for October 24, 2023.
What Has Christopher Schurr Been Charged With In Connection to the Killing of Patrick Lyoya?
On June 8, 2022 - just over two months after Lyoya's death - Kent County Prosecutor Christopher Becker announced that he would be charging Schurr for the killing of Lyoya. In a press conference held that day, Becker announced that Shurr was being charged with one count of second-degree murder. If convicted, Shurr faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.