GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Jury deliberations began Monday in the trial for Christopher Schurr, the former Grand Rapids police officer charged in the shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
Schurr is charged with second-degree murder, which, in Michigan, carries a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Watch our report in the video player below:
As court resumed on Monday, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker resumed his cross-examination of Lewis Kliem, a witness called by the defense who is an expert in police practices, tactics, policy and use of force.
Christopher Schurr testifies in his second-degree murder trial
The defense rested its case, then the prosecution called one rebuttal witness to the stand, Det. Sgt. Aaron Tubergen, who previously testified in the trial.
Tubergen answered questions regarding Schurr's written statement to MSP, provided to the agency as part of its investigation into the shooting.
Both Becker and defense attorney Matthew Borgula gave their closing arguments in the case.
Watch their closing arguments and Becker's rebuttal in the videos below
Judge Christina Mims then gave the jury final instructions in the case before deliberations began.
Judge Mims said the jury must not consider the attorneys' statements, arguments and any other commentary from them as evidence.
She said in situations where testimonies conflict with each other, the jury must decide which is correct.
Mims also said the jury may convict Schurr of second-degree murder, convict him of the lesser offense of manslaughter or acquit him.
Regarding second-degree murder, Judge Mims said the elements of the crime include a death caused by the defendant, intent to kill or cause great bodily harm and no justification for the defendant's action.
On April 4, 2022, Schurr shot Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee, in the back of the head during a traffic stop. As seen through body camera and dash camera videos from the incident — as well as a cell phone video recorded by a bystander — the two had been struggling over Schurr's taser in the front yard of a residence in a southeast Grand Rapids neighborhood.
While the former officer's lawyers claim he acted self-defense, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says Schurr's actions were not justified.
Less than a week after Lyoya's death, protesters called for racial justice in a series of large demonstrations throughout Grand Rapids. A number of reforms were later implemented within the Grand Rapids Police Department.
More than three years after the deadly shooting, a jury of Schurr's peers will now determine his guilt — or innocence — in the second-degree murder case.
