Covenant School Files Motion To Intervene In Release Of Shooter’s “Manifesto”

Image Credit: The Covenant School / Vimeo

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

In light of recent lawsuits requesting release of The Covenant School shooter’s “manifesto,” the school and Covenant Presbyterian Church took action earlier this week to prevent the public release of certain information. 

On Monday, Covenant attorneys filed two motions to intervene, one regarding a lawsuit brought by the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA) and another regarding a lawsuit brought by the Nashville Police Association (NPA).

The motion requests that the court permit the church and school to “protect its interests relating to the release of records sought” by TFA and NPA, who are demanding that the personal journals and writings confiscated from the Covenant shooter’s home, be released to the public. 

Covenant wrote that releasing all of these written documents may endanger the school’s students and faculty by providing the public with confidential information. 

The official motion to intervene states that, “The release of such information could cause security and safety issues.” The document goes on to speculate that this confidential information could include things like schematics of school facilities and confidential information about The Covenant School’s employees and students.

The plaintiff in NPA’s case, Clata Brewer, actually responded to Covenant’s motion saying that she would not oppose the motion to interfere, but only “for the limited purpose of allowing Covenant Church to claim the specific interest it alleges.”

The Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson also stated that it does not oppose the motion of interference brought by Covenant. 

While David Rausch, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director, has previously described the shooter’s written documents as “ramblings” without a clear motive, people are still demanding for their release.

Tennessee’s House GOP even delivered a letter to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake on Monday, signed by sixty-six of the seventy-four Republican House members, asking that all the shooter’s writings and any relevant medical records be released. 

The state legislature’s involvement in this public discourse would seem necessary at this point, given Gov. Lee’s announcement of a special legislative session to focus on gun reform, set to begin on August 21^st of this year. 

Many Tennessee Republicans, sixty-six of them to be exact, would like to have access to as much information as possible concerning circumstances and possible motivation, before they decide how to legislate the issue.

“We need to be able to see what’s in that manifesto that could maybe provide some insight as we gather information, as we prepare for special session, as we work on legislation, we need all the facts and all the data available to us,” said Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14).

However, just like many other folks, Rep. Zachary and his colleagues reportedly have no issue with the idea of releasing the documents as redacted for privacy reasons.

“Nobody needs to see that, that’s not information we need to get out. And then too, we have to be very sensitive to the families. We just simply want to be able to get an insight into this person who committed this horrific act,” Rep. Zachary explained.

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.