Buttigieg discusses time as South Bend’s mayor, presidential campaign
SOUTH BEND, Ind.—South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg was live in the ABC57 studio on Tuesday to discuss his presidential campaign and his time as mayor.
Locally, Buttigieg responded to updates on the Eric Logan case, a call for the release of police tapes, and his time as mayor of South Bend.
The attorney for the estate of Eric Logan, the car break-in suspect who was shot and killed by a South Bend Police officer in June, said Monday that multiple subpoenas have been issued in the case to parties including Metro Homicide, Mayor Buttigieg’s office as well as Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.
“It was very important that the investigation take place outside of the city. We requested a special prosecutor be appointed, that’s what wound up happening,” Buttigieg said, adding that because of this, he doesn’t know the internal aspects of the investigation.
Those who were subpoenaed now have until November 25 to produce the documents requested or fight the subpoenas in court, according to the attorney, Brian Coffman.
Coffman says the special prosecutor assigned to the case noted that the he should have his criminal investigation wrapped up by the end of the year.
“When the results come in, we will act accordingly. Yet I think what we’ve learned as a community is we don’t have to wait for the results of the investigation of that case to take steps to build confidence and trust and to make sure that this is the safest community we can be and take steps toward greater transparency and accountability with the police department,” Buttigieg said.
Multiple tapes that allegedly have South Bend Police officers making racist remarks targeting former Police Chief Darryl Boykins were the basis of a protest at the County City Building on Monday, which drew a response from the mayor.
Read more: The South Bend Police Tapes
“The reality is, you have a case that began before I was even mayor and all indications are that it will be continuing after my time as mayor ends and the new mayor will be dealing with it as well. It shows just how slow the legal process can go,” Buttigieg said.
The city is no longer a party in the court dispute but he says that the city will proceed based on whatever the courts order, according to Buttigieg.
“Even while that process is going on, we don’t have to wait to take steps as a community,” Buttigieg said.
Buttigieg has already qualified for the fifth Democratic presidential debate that will be held in Atlanta on November 20.
On his opponents, the mayor said that while he likes all of his fellow Democrats vying for the nomination, he thinks it's time to show people the differences among the candidates.
“We are very different people with different visions,” Buttigieg said.