Lawyers involved in a dispute over the release of documents related to a Nashville elementary school shooting in 2023 urged a judge on Monday to finally make a decision, highlighting increased urgency following recent leaks of information about the shooter.
This latest court session is part of a long legal battle over whether the investigative file and other records from the Covenant School tragedy, which resulted in the deaths of six people including three children, should be made public under Tennessee’s public records law.
Some parents from Covenant School have joined the lawsuit, arguing that releasing any documents could encourage similar incidents and cause further trauma to their children.
Despite efforts to keep the documents confidential, substantial portions of the shooter’s writings have been leaked to the media on two occasions. Most recently, The Tennessee Star published numerous articles based on approximately 80 pages of writings reportedly obtained from an unnamed source.
Interestingly, The Tennessee Star is among the parties suing for access to the records.
World of Coca-Cola museum (Via Jeff Benson/Getty Images)
In response to the publication, Nashville Chancellor I’Ashea Myles ordered Michael Leahy, Editor-in-Chief of The Tennessee Star, and Star News Digital Media (the publication’s owner) to appear in court and explain why publishing details from the leaked documents did not violate court orders protecting confidential records, which could lead to contempt charges and penalties.
Despite Leahy’s request to cancel the hearing being denied, the judge specified that no witnesses would be called to testify.
“I don’t watch the news, I don’t do my own investigation, it’s best that I have the attorneys come in and really let me know what is going on,” Judge Myles stated during the crowded courtroom session on Monday. “Depending on what I learn today from the parties, I will issue a separate ruling on what the next steps will be.”
