KENTY COUNTY, Mich. – A judge has declared a mistrial in the case against Christopher Schurr, the former Grand Rapids police officer who shot and killed Patrick Lyoya, after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.
Deliberations began at around 12:30 p.m. Monday, May 5, after both the prosecution and defense presented their final arguments.
Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee, was shot and killed by a Grand Rapids Police Officer during a traffic stop in April 2022.
The former officer, Christopher Schurr, was charged with second-degree Murder in Lyoya’s death.
Over the course of six days, 23 witnesses testified, including the officer himself.
The judge told prosecutors and defendants Thursday morning that the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Therefore, the judge declared a mistrial.
What does a mistrial mean?
A mistrial happens when a jury is unable to reach a verdict, and there must be a new trial with a new jury.
A mistrial can also happen if there’s improper admission of prejudiced evidence, misconduct by anyone involved in the trial, jury errors, and other grounds. In this case, the jury came back without a verdict after days of deliberations.
This does not mean the case goes away.
Prosecutors can retry the case with a new jury, dismiss the charges or look for a plea deal.
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