Jurors in Michigan officer's murder trial are struggling to reach a verdict, told to keep trying

Jurors in Michigan officer’s murder trial are struggling to reach a verdict, told to keep trying

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Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr sits in court during the second day of his trial at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Schurr is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant during a traffic stop on April 4, 2022. (WOOD-TV via AP, Pool)

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Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr enters the Kent County Courthouse with his wife Brandey in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Joel Bissell /Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Body worn camera footage showing former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr with a Taser7 and Patrick Lyoya is shown during the third day at the Kent County Courthouse with his wife Brandey in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (Joel Bissell/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump holds a press conference with friends and family of Patrick Lyoya after former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr testified during the fifth day of his trial at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Friday, May 2, 2025. (Joel Bissell/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker cross-examines David Siver, GRPD Capt., as he testifies during the fourth day of trial for former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, during a traffic stop, at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Joel Bissell/MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Defense attorney Matthew Borgula listens as Judge Christina Mims addresses the courtroom during the fourth day of trial for former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, during a traffic stop, at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Thursday, May 1 2025. (Joel Bissell/MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, appears for jury instructions at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Joel Bissell/MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Police divide supporters of former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, and Lyoya outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Joel Bissell/MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Judge Christina Mims instructs a deadlocked jury as they deliberate a verdict for former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant, at the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Joel Bissell /MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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Police use bicycles to divide supporters of former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya, a Congolese immigrant, and Lyoya outside the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich., Tuesday, May 6, 2025. (Joel Bissell/MLive.com/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

By ISABELLA VOLMERT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A judge urged jurors to keep working Tuesday after they said they couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict in the murder trial of a Michigan police officer who fatally shot a 26-year-old Congolese immigrant minutes after a routine traffic stop.

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“Talk things over in the spirit of fairness and frankness. ... By reasoning the matter out, jurors can often reach agreement,” Kent County Judge Christina Mims said.

Christopher Schurr has claimed self-defense in the killing of Patrick Lyoya following a brief foot chase and fierce physical struggle in a Grand Rapids residential neighborhood in 2022.

Schurr, 34, is charged with second-degree murder, but the jury can also consider a lesser charge of manslaughter. After a pep talk from the judge, jurors resumed discussions and will return again Wednesday. Deliberations began Monday afternoon.

Lyoya’s mother rocked side to side in her seat as the judge spoke. Schurr and his wife left the courtroom holding hands.

The shooting on a cool, rainy spring morning was recorded on video. Schurr was on top of Lyoya and had lost control of a Taser to him. He repeatedly ordered Lyoya to drop the weapon and to stop resisting before he shot him in the back of the head.

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Former Grand Rapids Police officer Christopher Schurr enters the Kent County Courthouse in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Friday, May 2, 2025. (Joel Bissell /Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

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In his closing argument, prosecutor Chris Becker said Lyoya was “no saint,” noting his resistance, a high blood-alcohol level and his lack of a driver’s license.

But “none of those are executable offenses,” Becker told the jury.

Defense attorney Matthew Borgula said Schurr genuinely feared for his life after losing control of his Taser, which is designed to temporarily incapacitate someone with electric current.

“Christopher Schurr was at work, and he was faced with the toughest decision of his life in half a second,” Borgula said.

Schurr was fired from the Grand Rapids department.

The shooting prompted protests in the city, and demonstrators on both sides have stood outside the courthouse during the trial with signs that say, “Stand with Schurr” and “Justice for Patrick.”

Civil rights groups decried the shooting as more aggression against Black people in the U.S. by white officers.