Media outlets report that after a hearing that consisted of two full days of testimony, the council voted unanimously to remove Mayor John Royalty from office.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the council found that the mayor had used city resources and personnel to access the private emails of Kecia Copeland, violated Copeland's privacy by disseminating private emails and ordered a city employee to lie to the council to get access to their iPads.
Royalty testified in his own defense Thursday, saying his actions were within his executive authority and that he had been trying to preserve public documents.
The council will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday to appoint a new mayor.
