The Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled that parents of school shooting victims have the right to seek a court order to prevent the writings of the shooter from being released to the public. The court case will determine which police records can be made public. nwademgaz reported
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has made a ruling that allows parents of school shooting victims in Tennessee to seek a court order preventing the release of the shooter’s writings to the public. This decision also grants The Covenant School and Covenant Presbyterian Church, who share a building with the school, the right to participate in the court case determining which police records can be made public.
The case arose when media groups, nonprofit organizations, and a state senator requested police records related to the tragic shooting at the private Christian school in Nashville on March 27th, where three 9-year-old children and three adults lost their lives. However, their request was denied under the Tennessee Public Records Act, leading them to file a lawsuit.
The shooter had left behind numerous journals, a suicide note, and a memoir, according to court filings. Metro Nashville Police have stated that they will release the records once the investigation is complete, which could take several more months.
Although the groups seeking the records argue that the shooter’s death means there is no active investigation, Tennessee courts have previously allowed law enforcement agencies to withhold records during ongoing investigations. However, the primary focus of the case has shifted to the question of who can participate in the lawsuit.
Public records cases differ from normal court proceedings, as the Tennessee Public Records Act outlines a process for quick dispute resolution. Government agencies that deny a records request must appear in court to provide a valid and legal reason for withholding records. The statute does not mention the involvement of third parties, and the groups seeking the records believe that intervenors should not be allowed.
However, the Appeals Court disagreed with this argument in its recent ruling, emphasizing that nothing in the Tennessee Public Records Act prohibits third-party intervention. While intervention has never been challenged before, the court highlighted previous cases where intervenors participated, including one who testified before the Tennessee Supreme Court.
The case will now return to the trial court for a ruling on which records can be released. The school and church are particularly concerned about the security of their building and aim to ensure that any potentially compromising records remain private. On the other hand, the group of parents wants to prevent the release of all the shooter’s writings, asserting that their publication would traumatize survivors and potentially inspire copycats.
Recently, images of three pages from the shooter’s journals were leaked to conservative commentator Stephen Crowder, who subsequently published them on November 6th. These pages contain a detailed timeline of the shooting, labeled “Death Day,” and a derogatory diatribe about children attending “private fancy schools,” despite the shooter themselves being a former Covenant student.
In response to the leak, seven Nashville police officers were placed on administrative assignments while an investigation is ongoing. Four of these officers have since returned to their regular duties.
The battle over the Covenant records is particularly contentious due to the shooter’s gender identity. Police have stated that the shooter was assigned female at birth but identified as a transgender man. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri is among those promoting the theory that the shooting was a hate crime against Christians.
The article is accompanied by a photo showing a police crime scene tape at the entrance of the Covenant School in Nashville. The photo is from March 27th, 2023, and was taken by John Amis..