GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A judge has set a key hearing date for a former Grand Rapids police officer accused of second-degree murder in the April shooting death of Patrick Lyoya.
A probable cause hearing has been set for Oct. 27, with a possible continuation date of Oct. 28 if testimony does not conclude in one day.
The proceeding is expected to be livestreamed on the court YouTube page for 61st District Court Judge NIcholas Ayoub.
Attorneys for the former officer, Christopher Schurr, and Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker met in the judge’s chambers Friday, Sept. 23 to decide on a date.
Schurr’s attorneys, Matthew Borgula and Mark Dodge, did not comment after the brief hearing.
Schurr is charged with second-degree murder in the April 4 killing of Lyoya. Schurr shot Lyoya, a 26-year-old Congolese refugee, in the back of the head that day during a struggle following a traffic stop on Nelson Avenue SE. The two fought over control of Schurr’s Taser before the officer fired his weapon while on top of Lyoya.
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The shooting was captured on a cell phone video taken by a passenger in Lyoya’s car.
The hearing now set for Oct. 27 is the third date set for a probable cause hearing in the case. An initial date of July 18 was adjourned so defense attorneys could review evidence. Then a subsequent Aug. 30 date also was adjourned because the defense team had not yet received police training and procedure documents they say could be important to their strategy.
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