A Michigan decide dominated Monday morning that prosecutors introduced sufficient proof for ex-Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr to face trial for fatally taking pictures Patrick Lyoya, an unarmed Black man, in April.
Kent County Prosecutors charged Schurr with second-degree homicide after he shot 26-year-old Lyoya at the back of the top at point-blank vary whereas pinning him to the bottom.
After a two-day preliminary examination listening to final week, Choose Nicholas Ayoub decided there was sufficient possible trigger introduced in court docket hearings for Schurr to face trial. A jury will in the end determine if Schurr’s use of lethal power was justified.
A trial date has not but been scheduled.
Schurr approached Lyoya on a residential road on April 4 and mentioned his license plate was not registered to the car he was driving. Lyoya tried to get away and ran across the automotive, however Schurr chased him and the 2 started to wrestle within the entrance yard of a house. The encounter was filmed by a witness and partially captured by Schurr’s physique digicam, although that footage cuts out moments earlier than the taking pictures.
Schurr tased Lyoya, who grabbed on the taser to attempt to cease it from stunning him. After telling Lyoya to let go, Schurr shot him at the back of the top whereas Lyoya was facedown on the bottom. An unbiased post-mortem confirmed Lyoya was shot at the back of the top.
The taking pictures sparked nationwide outrage and conversations in Grand Rapids on policing. Police reformers have lengthy known as for adjustments in how police deal with minor visitors stops.
A number of witnesses testified on the preliminary listening to, together with Aime Tuyishme, Lyoya’s shut good friend who was driving with him within the car that morning and recorded the deadly taking pictures on his cellular phone.
One other witness, Wayne Butler, testified that Schurr had the “higher hand” towards Lyoya throughout all the wrestle.