Parents with children attending the Nashville Christian school where a transgender shooter killed three students and three faculty members in March filed a motion on Monday against the release of the killer’s manifesto.
Eric Osborne, a lawyer representing 100 of the 112 families at the Covenant School, explained that parents are concerned the content of the manifesto could prompt additional shootings.
Osborne contended, “Writings like this tend to inspire additional school shootings.”
The families’ lawyer also requested that parents be allowed to testify — both in person and anonymously — against the release of the shooter’s manifesto.
Last week, the Covenant Presbyterian Church and associated Covenant School filed a motion to prevent the release of the writings, citing privacy concerns.
The motion claimed that the manifesto “may include and/or relate to information owned by Covenant Church,” such as “schematics of church facilities and confidential information” regarding staff that could “impair or impede its ability to protect its interests and the privacy of its employees.”
The Tennessee Firearms Association and the Nashville Police Association filed two separate lawsuits against Metro Nashville Police Department, demanding the department release the writings to the public.
According to the police department, the manifesto was discovered inside the shooter’s residence. Authorities stated that it contained a map of the school and other writings, noting that the shooter spent months planning the attack.
Robb Harvey, an attorney representing the Tennessean, which also joined the lawsuit against the department, criticized the parents’ request.
Harvey contended that the families are not related to the shooting victims and therefore do not have the right to block the release of the writings.
“What happened that day, it’s a tragedy, but it doesn’t mean that everyone at the school is a victim,” Harvey stated.
Doug Pierce, an attorney representing the Nashville Police Association, added that the parents are unaware of the manifesto’s contents and, therefore, should be unable to block its release.
Judicial District Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles announced that she plans to make a decision regarding the parents’ and the church’s motions by Wednesday.
Tennessee House Republicans recently signed a letter demanding the release of the “writings as well as relevant medical records and toxicology reports.”
Representative and House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison told the New York Post, “I’m always anxious when the government people tell me this isn’t good for y’all to look at.”
“I’ll be the decider if I should look at it or not,” he added.
Faison stated that he believes the contents of the shooter’s manifesto may help lawmakers “identify some areas that we could potentially save some lives.”
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