The South Bend Common Council president has called a closed-door meeting Wednesday to discuss whether they’ll appeal a judge’s ruling in the police tapes case.
The council, which sued the Mayor Pete Buttigieg administration for release of the tapes in 2012, has 30 days from Thursday to decide whether to appeal St. Joseph Superior Judge Jamie Woods’ ruling.
On Thursday Woods issued an order siding with officers who have fought to block public release of the tapes, which allegedly captured them saying racist things during the tenure of the city’s first Black police chief, Darryl Boykins. Woods didn’t address the content of the recordings but said they were made in violation of state and federal wiretap laws because neither party consented to being recorded.
On Wednesday at 6 p.m. the council will meet with their legal counsel in executive session, says Council President Canneth Lee. Lee says he wants to hear from council members but he wants to appeal.
“In my opinion we want to continue what we started 14 years ago," Lee says. "I think the community has been waiting and wanting to know what was on those tapes, but I’m one of nine and I want to give our council members an opportunity to weigh in on what our next steps should be.”
