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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowLauren Roberts, who was forcibly removed from a City-County Council meeting in June, is seeking damages from the city of Indianapolis over the incident.
In a Dec. 8 notice of tort claim, attorney Mark Sniderman writes that Roberts might have legal claims against multiple public entities due to the experience, which caused her to suffer “physical and emotional distress.”
In Indiana, tort claims are required to be filed before any lawsuits against government entities, giving the government and the claimant time to reach a possible settlement.
Roberts was one of three women who in 2024 accused the mayor’s former chief of staff, Thomas Cook, of sexual harassment and misconduct.
Now a Denver resident, Roberts had come to the June 9 meeting in person to comment on a report from a law firm hired by the council to investigate the mayor’s handling of the harassment accusations.
After a heated exchange with City-County Council President Vop Osili and Council Majority Leader Maggie Lewis over whether her comments were specific to the proposal and how much time she would be allotted to speak, Osili ordered Marion County Sheriff deputies to remove Roberts.
Deputies also pushed out two women who stood at the podium along Roberts and became physical with supporters who stood up in her defense. Several attendees chanted “shame,” as she was forced out, and both Democrat and Republican councilors expressed disagreement with the ejection.
The notice of tort claim warns the Mayor’s Office, the City-County Council and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office that Roberts might have civil claims against them for negligence, negligent supervision, failure to train, assault, battery, excessive force, and failure to protect.
It seeks $50,000 in damages to resolve the state law tort claims. Any agreement resulting in payment would likely prevent Roberts from filing a lawsuit.
Roberts declined to comment on the notice.
A spokeswoman for the Mayor’s Office confirmed that city attorneys received the notice on Dec. 10, but did not comment further. Government units must respond to tort claims within 90 days of receipt, but the parties may settle before that deadline.
Following her removal from the June 9 meeting, Roberts tearfully delivered remarks to reporters outside of the City-County Building. She called Osili’s actions “horrific and so shameful.”
Less than 48 hours later, Osili said in a statement that he “regret[s] the trauma to Ms. Roberts and her supporters” but defended upholding the council’s two-minute time limit for public comment.
When reached regarding the notice, a spokesperson for the City-County Council referred IBJ to the city’s attorneys.
Osili announced last week that he will not seek to keep his leadership post on the council after his term runs out at the end of the year. His departure from that role is fueling speculation that he is preparing a run for mayor in 2027.
In response to the document, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the claim “will be fought aggressively in the courtroom,” and defended the actions of the deputies, calling the practice in which the council president may have people removed from a public meeting “long-standing” with the subject matter and length of speaking time irrelevant.
“The deputy sheriffs will act if a crime is committed, or they’re directed to remove someone from the public meeting. The deputy sheriffs used great resolve that evening, as it was clear that some in the group were violating Indiana law.”
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