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Residents urge Erie council to press prosecutors over Marcello Woodard killing
Summary
Dozens of residents used the public-comment period Dec. 17 to press Erie City Council to push for arrest and prosecution in the July killing of Marcello Woodard, call for a Harrisburg advocacy trip and ask for concrete next steps beyond a 7–0 resolution passed Dec. 3.
Dozens of Erie residents told City Council on Dec. 17 that they want swift legal action and more visible support from elected officials in the death of Marcello Woodard.
Public commenters repeatedly asked the council to press the district attorney and state officials to act. “I will not shut up until he is jailed,” Malcolm Pulliam said during the five-minute public-comment period. Deontay Cooley urged the council to help organize a trip to Harrisburg and said, “We want you all to support us when we specifically are coming down here and saying, these are the things that we would like to see change.”
The comments followed a unanimous 7–0 council resolution passed Dec. 3 that had expressed the council’s position on the case. Speakers at the meeting said that, months later, they have not seen the follow-up they expected from prosecutors or the governor’s office. Jerry Roberts, Tina Hiodes and others asked whether the resolution had been mailed and whether any response had been received from the district attorney or Governor Josh Shapiro.
Several speakers framed the issue as community-wide: Mimi O’Connor called for “arrest, indictment, and conviction,” and other commenters tied the case to systemic issues of race and accountability in law enforcement. Young people also addressed the council: Dionna Chatfield said accountability is a lesson for youth and said the community’s patience has run out.
Council members heard requests for concrete next steps — including letters, phone calls or a coordinated delegation to state officials — and multiple speakers offered to help with organizing. The council did not announce a specific action during the meeting; committee reports and other agenda items followed after the public-comment period.
The public-comment block in the transcript (Dec. 17) shows sustained community pressure focused on the Woodard case, requests for updates on responses from the district attorney and the governor, and multiple offers from residents to join organizing efforts to seek further action.
