For now, judge bars release of Nashville Covenant School shooter writings

Photos of the victims of the Covenant Presbyterian Church school shooting are displayed at a makeshift memorial outside the entrance to the school in Nashville in March 2023. Late Thursday, a judge ruled the shooter’s writings won’t be publicly released at this time. File Photo by Justin Renfroe/EPA-EFE

July 5 (UPI) — Following a late Thursday ruling by a Tennessee judge, the Nashville Covenant School shooter’s writings won’t be publicly released.

“When there is a pending or contemplated criminal investigation, Tennessee courts have determined that unfettered access to every record at any time does not serve to uphold the system of justice that we all depend upon to ensure that the criminal legal system and investigations remain fair and impartial for every involved person,” said Davidson County Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles in her decision.

She suggested, though, that the writings could be made public later, ruling they won’t be disclosed “at this time.”

Myles said in the ruling that, after reviewing nearly two terabytes of material, she was persuaded public release of the writings could inspire copycat attacks.

Release of the records is being sought by some news media, and there’s been 14 months of litigation over the records involving media, police and family members of the victims.

Tennessee Star Editor and Star News Digital Media CEO Michael Patrick Leahy said he will appeal the ruling.

“The judge’s ruling is clearly not in the public interest and is a subversion of the intent of the Tennessee Public Records Act,” Leahy said.

The family of custodian Mike Hill said, “Covenant children, and other communities will be more protected because these ramblings will not be able to inspire future attacks from other individuals who are consumed by hate and perceived grievances.”

The family of 9-year-old shooting victim Evelyn Dieckhaus also said it would make sure “no additional burden is added to our family.”

Covenant School headmaster Katherine Koonce’s family said, “The court’s finding vindicates our family’s desire that public focus should be on the nobility of the loved ones who died tragically, and on the gracious support extended to households who suffered loss and trauma.”

Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale kept month’s worth of journals on her plans to attack the school, according to investigators.

She fired 152 rounds during the March 27 mass shooting, killing six people using a 5.56 caliber assault rifle, before being killed by responding police. She identified as transgender.

In April, the Tennessee House passed a bill 68-28 to arm teachers with guns. The bill would allow specially-trained teachers to carry concealed handguns though parents would not know which teachers were armed.

Also in relation to the Covenant School shooting in August 2023, a Maryland man admitted placing a threatening call to LGBTQ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign, leaving a threatening voicemail that seemed to blame them for the school shooting.

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