A Michigan jury said it was deadlocked on Thursday in a murder case against a police officer who fatally shot a motorist during a traffic stop.
Judge Christina Mims of the Kent County Circuit Court declared a mistrial after the jurors, who had been deliberating for four days, said they were unable to reach a verdict.
The defendant, Christopher Schurr, formerly a police officer in Grand Rapids, Mich., took the stand during the trial and said that he feared for his life when he opened fire at the driver, Patrick Lyoya, after Mr. Lyoya grabbed his stun gun.
“I believe if I didn’t do what I did when I did it, I wouldn’t be here today,” Mr. Schurr told the jury, in his first public remarks about the shooting.
After court adjourned, Chris Becker, the prosecutor in the case, told reporters that he had not yet decided whether to retry the case. Mr. Becker said he was “not surprised” that the jury had been unable to reach a verdict in what he characterized as a “difficult case.”
Patrick Lyoya’s father, Peter Lyoya, said at a news conference on Thursday that the family was disappointed by the outcome, and he urged prosecutors to try the case again.
