On Monday, the Michigan Supreme Court denied an appeal, paving the path for a police officer to stand trial for second-degree murder in connection with the 2022 shooting death of a man in the head.
The court upheld a Court of Appeals ruling in support of the Kent County prosecutor by a vote of 5-2.
A traffic stop in Grand Rapids resulted in the death of a Black man named Patrick Lyoya. He was unable to show a driver’s license, so he fled and fought Officer Christopher Schurr.
Lyoya was shot in the back of the head while lying on the ground, according to the video.
Schurr, who is white, feared for his safety, according to defense attorneys. When Schurr shot him, he said Lyoya was in possession of his Taser.The officer can be seen in the video requesting that Lyoya remove his hands from the device.
In accordance with state law, a Grand Rapids court ruled that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial. The ruling earlier this year was upheld by the Court of Appeals.
“We hope to move forward as quickly as possible to have a final resolution for Patrick’s family who has been patiently waiting for years for this to occur,” prosecutor Chris Becker said on Monday.
Matthew Borgula, the defense lawyer, expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court would not consider an appeal on the use of lethal force. A plea agreement doesn’t seem likely, he added.
Borgula stated, “I don’t think Officer Schurr committed a crime,”
Two months after the shooting, the Grand Rapids Police Department fired Schurr, a seven-year veteran.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
Leave a Reply