Where the fight over the release of The Covenant School shooter’s writings is at 1 year later

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - As The Covenant School tragedy unfolded, Metro Nashville police officers discovered several writings penned by the school shooter in their car and home.

With the shooter’s motive and planning still a mystery, those writings have sparked controversial lawsuits to get them released publicly. Those lawsuits were met with pushback from the Covenant School community and more.

WSMV4 Investigates Stacey Cameron has been following the case’s yearlong path through Tennessee courts.

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In April 2023, a month after news broke that the shooter had left behind a journal and other materials, the National Police Association became the first of several groups to sue Metro Government, asking a Davidson County judge to release the writings to the public.

However, others believed the writings could inspire copycat attacks and cause mental harm to the shooting’s young survivors, so, they pushed back. Covenant parents, the school and the church quickly filed motions to intervene and block the release of the writings.

In June, when the trial judge allowed the parents, church and school in, her ruling got appealed, putting the suit on hold.

“What is the great harm in allowing another voice to be heard,” asked Judge Kristi M. Davis.

Until the Tennessee Court of Appeals weighed in back in November, saying the parents, school and church can stay in the case and fight to keep the shooter’s journal private. This decision put the case back in the trial court’s hands in January — where Judge I’Ashea Myles set an April hearing to finally decide if the shooter’s writings should be open for the public to see.

The scheduled arguments are set for April 16 and 17. Regardless of the judge’s decision, both sides have indicated they’re likely to appeal that ruling, if necessary, all the way to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Meaning, there may not be a decision if the shooter’s writing will get released to the public eye until late 2024 or early 2025 at the earliest.