Attorneys representing The Covenant School in Nashville filed a request on Monday, seeking to intervene in ongoing litigation aimed at releasing the manifesto of the 28-year-old female mass shooter who targeted the school.
Citing concerns over security and the safety of their faculty and students, the institution’s lawyers argued that the release of the manifesto could potentially expose sensitive information about the school, including building layouts and personnel records.
According to local news outlet Fox 17 Nashville, the motion stated, “The resolution of this action may hinder or impede its ability to safeguard its interests and protect the privacy of its staff and students.”
The tragic incident occurred two months ago when the female shooter, who identified as male, carried out a mass shooting at the private Presbyterian school, claiming the lives of six individuals, including three 9-year-old children. Among those who lost their lives were Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, William Kinney, Cynthia Peak, Katherine Koonce, and Michael Hill.
Initial reports indicated that the woman was swiftly shot and killed by Metro Nashville Police officers shortly after they received the initial emergency call. During a subsequent search at her residence, federal and local officials discovered various items, including five laptops, a suicide note, two autobiographies, five yearbooks from The Covenant School, and seven smartphones.
Wally Dietz, the Director of Law for Metro Nashville, expressed support for the school’s decision, stating that the city authorities believe “the Church and the School have a right to be heard.”
The city of Nashville itself has also issued an official statement in support of the school’s intervention, emphasizing that the release of documents from the Metro Nashville Police Department’s investigative file could impact the interests of Covenant Presbyterian Church and The Covenant School. They further requested the court to allow the entities to participate in the show cause hearing and consider their concerns.
In response to a letter from Tennessee House Republicans urging the release of the shooter’s writings and toxicology reports, Dietz clarified that the decision regarding the documents is no longer solely within Metro’s control, citing a recent court ruling.
To prepare for the upcoming status meeting on May 18, Dietz confirmed that, as per the Chancellor’s order, Metro filed unredacted copies of the relevant documents with the court under seal. The originals, along with proposed redacted versions based on exceptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act, were submitted on Friday.
Dietz emphasized that in light of the court order, it would be incorrect to claim that Metro alone determines the release of records. Disregarding the court order would constitute disobedience, which is not permissible.
Following several lawsuits filed on Friday seeking the publication of the manifesto, Nashville city attorneys submitted an unredacted copy of the document to a county judge for review. Both the unredacted version and a proposed redacted duplicate were presented to the Davidson County Chancellor’s chambers for examination prior to a scheduled public hearing on June 8 regarding the release of the manifesto’s contents.