Nashville, Tennessee – The decision on whether the writings of the shooter at the Covenant School should be made public remains in the hands of Chancellor l’Ashea Myles. Metro officials have denied the public records request citing an ongoing criminal investigation, specifically under Rule 16. Despite this, petitioners argue that the lack of a pending criminal action renders the open criminal investigation exception irrelevant, advocating for the potential preventative power of releasing the writings.
Metro Legal has revealed that the Metro Nashville Police Department aims to conclude its investigation by July, possibly leading to the release of a redacted version of the shooter’s journals found in her car. However, during a recent hearing, attorneys representing The Covenant School and The Covenant Church expressed strong opposition to the release, citing school security and safety exemptions that they believe extend to the entire investigative file.
The Covenant Church and school advocate for maintaining the school security exemption over all of the shooter’s writings, contending that nothing should be disclosed for public scrutiny. Eric Osbourne, an attorney representing Covenant School parents, emphasized the emotional toll of the situation, noting that everyone present in the courtroom, apart from the media, had a direct connection to a Covenant parent or victim from the tragic events of March 27.
Osbourne is actively working to keep all documents created by the shooter sealed, grounding his defense on three distinct arguments: the School Safety Exception, Copyright Law, and the Victim Rights Act. Asserting ownership over the documents in question, the parents argue that copyright is established from the moment of creation, bolstering their case for non-disclosure.
The timeline for Chancellor l’Ashea Myles’ decision on the matter remains uncertain, leaving many awaiting the final verdict. In a related development, The Tennessee Star has filed a federal lawsuit against the FBI to secure the release of the shooter’s writings. A federal judge subsequently ordered the FBI to submit the writings to the court for review, potentially paving the way for their public disclosure. Photos circulating on social media, purportedly showcasing excerpts of the shooter’s writings, have been confirmed as authentic by a credible source.