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GREENSBORO — The attorney for a police officer facing criminal charges will be invited to talk behind closed doors with the City Council.

The invitation came Tuesday from the council, which got a look last week at a copy of the so-called "black book," a photo lineup that included pictures of black police officers.

That created a false impression that Officer Scott Sanders was involved in racial profiling, Seth Cohen, his attorney, said last week.

Other information, including documents and taped interviews, puts the book in a different context, he said.

In response, council members decided to let Cohen give them Sanders' version of the events.

"I want to hear all sides of the story," said Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw . "I feel like I've only heard a portion of the story."

Rakestraw said she had concerns when she saw the book last week and wants an explanation of why and how it was made and used.

Internal investigators have said the photographs were shown to various people to get information on officers.

Former police Chief David Wray has said that the book was used to investigate a claim that a black officer sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel.

Cohen said he and the city's own legal department have information that supports that view, including a memo, taped interviews and criminal reports.

Deputy City Attorney Becky Jo Peterson-Buie could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Cohen declined to make those records public.

"I don't want to try this in the paper," he said.

Cohen said Tuesday afternoon that he hadn't yet been contacted by the city but that he would accept the invitation. He said he would show them documents and explain the use of the book.

The release of the book without other documents or an explanation is harming Sanders' ability to get a fair trial, Cohen said.

"If they're going to make statements, they need to make informed statements," he said. "I'm concerned that they have gotten one side of the story."

The council is planning to meet Friday, but it remains to be seen when the meeting with Cohen will take place.

Generally speaking, Rakestraw said the city needs to deal with the questions surrounding the police department.

"We need to go ahead and deal with it," she said. "Dragging it out is not going to make it any easier."

Contact Jason Hardin at 373-7021 or at jason.hardin@news-record.com