Charlotte mayor used private email to discuss curfew during city's unrest

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The unrest in Charlotte began to pacify over the weekend following the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott. This was after a week filled with protests and riots.

On Sept. 25, an email was sent to a community group for families in Elizabeth. It was lengthy and highlighted the detrimental impact the citywide curfew was having on businesses.

Mayor Jennifer Roberts forwarded that email to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney and Interim City Manager Ron Kimble from her personal email account.

"I think we should lift the curfew today. Let's discuss," Roberts wrote in the email.

There's no record that Putney or Kimble responded to the email but there is an email showing the curfew was officially lifted that same day.

"FYI, as of late evening on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016, the state of emergency curfew has been lifted," Lisa Goelz wrote in an email to all of CMPD.

The discovery of her personal email account use has prompted Channel 9 to submit requests for emails sent to and from the account relating to more than just the Scott shooting, including House Bill Two and the mayor's discussions with Gov. Pat McCrory's office.

It's not illegal to use personal email for city business and a spokesperson for the mayor called Roberts use in this situation surprising.

The spokesperson said Roberts uses personal email for city business on rare occasions.

After the mayor wrote an editorial critical of CMPD, the head of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Foundation wrote an email to Deputy Chief Katrina Graue that many on the police foundation board were outraged.

The email was forwarded to Putney, who did not respond.

The chief received criticism from more people than just the mayor -- he got more than a thousand form emails criticizing his department.

But he also received prayers from across the nation.

"Thanks, brother,” Putney said. “I stand firm in faith.

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