South Bend Police Tapes bench trial to begin Tuesday

SOUTH BEND, Ind.--- The trial in the South Bend police tapes scandal begins Tuesday and ABC57 will have a camera in the courtroom.

The Scandal erupted in 2012 when then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg demoted the city's first Black police chief, Darryl Boykins, over some secret recordings of phone calls between South Bend police officers.

Tuesday’s proceeding will begin what's called a bench trial. That means no jury, or panel of 12 strangers to deliberate the case. In a bench trial, it's all up to the judge.

The Honorable Jamie Woods of St. Joseph County Superior Court Six will determine the fate of this case. He was assigned to take over in May of 2023, but the court battle started in 2012.

A subpoena from the South Bend Common Council to release the tapes of those recorded police phone calls is at the center of the legal battle that continues today. The questions being asked are: were the tapes recorded legally, and can they be released to the public?

At least $2 million in taxpayer dollars have already been spent on litigation costs over the years.

ABC57’s Annie Kate called the attorneys on both sides of this case Monday to ask who they would call to testify. Dan Pfeifer, representing the intervenors, says he plans to call two of them to the stand. Matt Anderson, representing the Common Council, declined to share anything ahead of trial. However, he says things should be made clear when all parties show up to court.

Media will meet with Judge Woods Tuesday at 8 a.m. to discuss his decorum order for court proceedings, then trial begins at 8:30 a.m.