Christopher Schurr denied appeal for Patrick Lyoya murder charge

Source: Douglas Sacha / Getty

Patrick Lyoya was fatally shot in the back of the head by former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr in 2022 during a struggle following a traffic stop. Lyoya was unarmed and laying on his stomach while Schurr was on top of him.

Ultimately, Schurr was fired, arrested, and charged with second-degree murder. According to CBS News, Schurr and his lawyers have been fighting to have those charges dropped but it doesn’t look like they made a strong case. In a 5-2 vote, the Michigan Supreme Court denied Schurr’s appeal and ruled that he must stand trial for his alleged crime, upholding a decision previously made by a Grand Rapids judge.

“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 Monday.

In reaction to the Supreme Court decision, Schurr’s lawyer, Matthew Borgula, said, “I don’t think Officer Schurr committed a crime,” but he seems to be alone in that assessment.

Said Lyoya family attorney Ven Johnson:

“On behalf of the Lyoya family, we are thrilled to announce that in the Schurr criminal case appeal, the Michigan Supreme Court has ‘denied the application for leave to appeal,’ which means it will not be hearing this case at this time. Accordingly, the case will now return to the trial court, where a scheduling conference and trial date will likely be set for some time in 2025.”

Justice for Patrick Lyoya and long nights on cold prison bunks for Christopher Schurr.