Witnesses Testify in Former Police Officer’s Murder Trial
The trial of a former police officer charged with the murder of Patrick Lyoya has begun in Grand Rapids after a lengthy delay. Christopher Schurr faces accusations of second-degree murder following an incident during a 2022 traffic stop.
Initial proceedings were postponed due to appeals from Schurr’s legal team, which sought to have the charges dismissed. On Monday, jurors heard testimony from key witnesses, including a friend of Lyoya and a passenger present in Lyoya’s vehicle at the time of the confrontation. Additionally, Wayne Butler, who observed the altercation, provided his account.
Butler recounted seeing police lights outside his neighbor’s home on April 4, 2022, while preparing for work. He described the scene, saying, “It’s on your property,” and adding, “When God brings something to you on your front door step, it doesn’t get any more literal than that if you’re a person of faith.”
Butler attempted to de-escalate the situation by advising Lyoya to stay down when Schurr initially subdued him. He expressed his rationale, acknowledging his own identity by saying, “I’m a Black man too,” as captured in a video shown in court.
During his testimony, Butler appeared visibly stressed, particularly as he watched video footage of the incident. He explained that he left the scene to retrieve his phone for recording, hearing a gunshot as he returned.
Prosecutor Christopher Becker questioned Butler about whether he observed Lyoya assaulting Schurr. Butler refuted such claims, describing the encounter as similar to a wrestling match without any intent to harm Schurr.
The defense’s strategy revolves around Lyoya’s actions with Schurr’s taser, which was deployed twice during the struggle. Schurr’s defense asserted that Lyoya held the taser like a pistol, and Schurr feared it would be used against him.
Butler, however, maintained that Schurr maintained control throughout the altercation. “The officer had control the whole time,” he stated.
Defense attorney Matt Borgula questioned Butler about his vantage point and whether he witnessed Lyoya’s interaction with the taser. Butler confirmed seeing a struggle over the device but emphasized that Lyoya appeared to be deflecting it rather than attempting to seize it.
As the trial progresses, the prosecution presented a video of Schurr’s police academy training, where Schurr is seen being tased while restrained. The defense, led by attorney Mikayla Hamilton, argued that Schurr’s actions were in self-defense, fearing disarmament during the struggle. “If he went down,” Hamilton stated, “he would be defenseless and his gun was right there for the taking.” She further argued, “This is not the murder case the prosecution wants this to be. This is about self-defense.”
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