Nashville, Tenn. – A Tennessee judge has ruled that the personal writings of an individual who carried out a deadly shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School cannot be made public, siding with victims’ families who argued that releasing the documents could spur similar attacks. The ruling, issued late Thursday, applied a novel legal argument that the writings are copyrighted by the victims’ families, who received ownership from the shooter’s parents in the aftermath of the tragic event.
On March 27, 2023, a former student of the Covenant School opened fire, resulting in the deaths of six individuals, including three children aged 9 – Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, and Hallie Scruggs – as well as the school’s headmaster Katherine Koonce, custodian Mike Hill, and substitute teacher Cynthia Peak.
This decision came after more than a year since the incident and subsequent lawsuits by numerous groups seeking access to these records, which had been withheld by Metro Nashville. The legal contention revolved around journals discovered at the shooter’s residence and vehicle, igniting a complex and emotional legal battle over their confidentiality.
Chancellor I’Ashea Myles, in her ruling, emphasized the need to balance public information demand with protecting the integrity of the legal and criminal systems. “The release of the sensitive materials risks not only revisiting trauma upon the victims’ families but also potentially inspiring future incidents,” Myles noted.
The families of the victims expressed through their attorney that withholding these documents is a step towards prevention of further violence. At a court hearing, a statement from a parent of one of the slain children encapsulated their sentiments: “May this evil die with the shooter.”
The legal struggle included attempts by media to access various records with the aim of shedding light on broader public policy and safety issues, without intent to publish the writings verbatim. However, this has raised concerns among advocates for transparency in policing and justice, who fear such rulings might limit access to vital public information.
Metro Nashville’s legal director, Wally Dietz, praised the judgment as robust and potentially influential in future cases involving similar circumstances. Meanwhile, those opposing the decision, like Deborah Fisher, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, worry that it sets a precedent that could restrict transparency in law enforcement records, fundamentally impacting public oversight.
The ruling, however, does not completely close the book on related documents. The judge indicated that other materials, including police records not directly created by the shooter, might still be released once the ongoing police investigation and related legal processes are concluded.
While this resolution brings some closure to the contentious debate over the shooter’s writings, it opens up broader discussions about public access to information, mental health issues, and the impact of gun violence on communities. The balance between protecting individual privacy, preventing harm, and ensuring an informed public continues to challenge legal and ethical boundaries in an era where information is both a tool and a weapon.