“For me, I’m not happy, and I will never be happy until we find justice for Patrick.”
Patrick Lyoya’s mother, Dorca, speaking through a translator, stated her heart will remain broken until Christopher Schurr is found guilty.
Schurr was charged with second-degree murder of the Congolese refugee during a 2022 traffic stop. After the case ended in a mistrial, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker stated he would not retry the case.
Attorney Ven Johnson, speaking on behalf of the family, thanked Becker for doing what Johnson said most prosecutors would never do.
“To think about the pressure of a county prosecutor who relies on the police and often considers themselves to be kind of one of that team, right? It’s not easy. So, not only did he bring the charges, folks, but he did the case himself.”
Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack also praised Becker’s efforts.
“After all he’s going through, for me to know that his life was personally threatened, death threats came to him - he became one of the most slammed persons on social media – I would be remiss not to give him credit.”
Johnson said the family continues seeking justice for Patrick. A civil trial will take place in U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo. It’s expected to begin in two years.
