GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — The Grand Rapids police officer accused of murdering Patrick Lyoya is out of jail Friday night.
Christopher Schurr appeared before a judge for the first time Friday afternoon, virtually from Calhoun County Jail. A not guilty plea was entered at the arraignment hearing, and the judge set Schurr's bond at $100,000 cash surety, which was posted.
When a judge is considering bond for someone, there are certain factors that come into play, and a criminal defense attorney in West Michigan says the severity of the charge doesn't necessarily factor into that decision.
"It is not that surprising based on this particular defendant, in my opinion, that the bond was set in the way that it was," Sarissa Montague from Levine & Levine Attorneys at Law says. "It's still very high. $100,000 is still a very high bond."
A Kent County judge followed a bond statue to decide if Schurr was eligible by considering if he was a flight risk and taking a look at his criminal background. Both went in Schurr's favor, and Montague says one of those factors was met because Schurr stuck around town.
"In order to become a police officer, you have to have a pretty extensive background check done, and he passed that. So although there is this particular incident, there's the general consideration of danger to the community (that) pretty much does go in his favor," she says.
Montague says this statute applies to everyone when a judge is considering bond, and the only thing out of the ordinary to her is that Schurr didn't turn himself in or spend the night at Kent County jail.
"I've been involved in other experiences, or have been aware of other experiences, where somebody involved in the law enforcement field has gotten in trouble him or herself, and they have possibly enforced laws against other people who are in the county jail," she says. "And that's an issue of safety for everybody involved in the jail."
He's expected to remain out of bond up until there's a verdict in the case, unless Schurr violates bond terms or a motion to amend it by the prosecution or defense.
"Unless there's a problem, typically, the initial bond set is the bond that stays throughout the pendency of the case," Montague says.
Schurr will be back in court for a probable cause hearing on June 21st.
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