Erie City Council unanimously demands transparency in investigation of Marcello “Cello” Woodard

Erie City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to adopt a resolution asking for regular public updates and greater transparency in the investigation into the July 2 fatal shooting of Marcello “Cello” Woodard.

The resolution, introduced by Councilmember Titus and adopted as amended, asks the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole to provide written status updates and to appear before the council to answer community questions. Council also directed the city clerk to transmit certified copies to Governor Shapiro, the Pennsylvania State Police commissioner, the Erie County District Attorney and other named officials. An amendment added a request that the Erie County coroner sign and release the death certificate and added a set of specified recipients to the transmittals.

The vote followed more than an hour of public comment from residents, family members and community leaders who pressed the council to move beyond symbolic gestures. “Passing this resolution is not only appropriate, it’s necessary,” said Jennifer Kennedy, who identified herself as a resident and urged members to vote yes. Shateria Franklin, Woodard’s mother, described the continuing trauma to her children and family and asked councilors to “stand alongside this hurting family.”

Speakers repeatedly raised concerns about the pace and openness of the investigation. Michael Woodard and others quoted a social-media post saying the Erie County District Attorney and the parole officer involved had appeared together on a podcast before the shooting, a detail residents said creates the appearance of a conflict of interest and underlies calls for an independent review. City staff and the resolution text acknowledged that the investigation is being conducted by the Pennsylvania State Police in collaboration with the district attorney’s office under local protocol, and the resolution asks those agencies to provide as much non-sensitive, non-prejudicial information as permitted by law.

Councilmembers also discussed a procedural concern the family raised: that the coroner had not yet signed a death certificate, which councilmember Brzezinski (by amendment) asked the council to request be completed so the family can access life-insurance and other benefits. The amended language directing the coroner to sign and release the certificate was accepted and added to the resolution before the voice vote.

The resolution directs agencies to provide regular public updates “to the fullest extent permitted by law,” including, where possible, body camera and dashboard footage, while also noting the council’s acknowledgment that some investigatory steps require time and must respect due process. The resolution takes effect immediately on adoption.

Council President Witherspoon said the action is a first step and personally committed to accompanying community members to Harrisburg to press state leaders if needed. The council did not, in this meeting, direct any independent investigative authority or create a local review board — the resolution asks outside agencies for clarification and recommends that reform be pursued at the state and county levels.

The next procedural step is transmittal of certified copies and any requested follow-up appearance by state officials; the resolution does not itself change prosecutorial authority or the status of the state police investigation.