The South Bend police recordings trial scheduled to begin on December 10 has been postponed due to COVID-19.

The case is now scheduled to begin on May 6 of next year.

The Common Council’s attorney expressed his disappointment with the postponement, but stated that the attention this case has received in the media will likely require that more than 100 people will be called as potential jurors — and that there’s just no practical way to keep everyone safe from COVID-19 during jury selection and the trial that would follow. Therefore, it’s been decided that it doesn’t make sense to potentially expose people to COVID-19 just before the holidays.