The years-long South Bend police tapes case had a court hearing Tuesday. The case has been set for closing arguments in March.
St. Joseph Superior Judge Jamie Woods heard opening arguments in a lawsuit that the South Bend Common Council filed some 13 years ago against the Mayor Pete Buttigieg administration. The council has wanted to hear recordings of police department phone conversations between some officers who allegedly said racist things about then-police Chief Darryl Boykins, the city’s first Black chief.
The officers have denied the accusations but have fought hard to block the tapes’ release to, they say, protect their privacy.
Judge Woods, presiding in a bench trial rather than a jury trial, heard testimony from three people who have intervened as parties in the case, while the council attorney declined to testify further.
Woods ordered both sides to file final written arguments by January 20. He set closing arguments for March 5, after which he’ll have 90 days to issue a ruling.
