Audrey Hale : “Judge Rules Nashville School Shooter’s Writings Unreleased Due to Copyright”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In a recent ruling, Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles declared that the writings of Audrey Hale, the individual responsible for the tragic deaths of three 9-year-olds and three adults at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, cannot be made public. The judge determined that the copyright to any writings or works created by Hale belongs to the children and parents of The Covenant School, where the horrifying incident took place. Hale, a former student who was killed by police, left behind various writings, including journals, a suicide note, and a memoir.

The decision to keep the records sealed was based on the argument put forth by the victims’ families, who now legally own Hale’s property following a transfer from her parents. The ruling, issued just before midnight on July 4, marks the culmination of a lengthy legal battle that began over a year ago when several groups filed public records requests for documents seized by Metro Nashville Police during their investigation into the March 2023 shooting.

The victims of the tragic incident were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all 9 years old, along with adults Cynthia Peak, Katherine Koonce, and Mike Hill, all of whom lost their lives in the senseless act of violence.

One of the key points of interest surrounding the case is the speculation that Hale, who was reportedly “assigned female at birth,” may have identified as a transgender man. This has led to theories suggesting that the writings could provide insights into a potential hate crime against Christians.

In response to the ruling, the families of the victims released statements expressing their support for the decision. Peak’s family, in particular, stated, “Denying the shooter some of the notoriety she sought by releasing her vile and unfiltered thoughts on the world is a result everyone should be thankful for.”

Concerns Over Copycat Attacks

Aside from the copyright claims, the Covenant parents argued that releasing the documents could have a traumatic impact on the families and potentially inspire copycat attacks. Judge Myles acknowledged the validity of these concerns, describing the copycat risk as “of grave concern.”

“Hale used the writings of other perpetrators in similar crimes to guide how this plan was constructed and accomplished, mimicking some not only in their methodology, but also choice of weapons and targets,” Myles wrote. “Hale even held past perpetrators out as heroes in their attacks, idolizing them.”

While the order issued by Judge Myles shields many of the documents created by Hale from public release, other documents in the police file may be made available once the case is officially closed, provided they fall under Tennessee’s open records law.

Impact on Transparency

Deborah Fisher, the executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, raised concerns about the broader implications of the ruling. Fisher warned that allowing evidence collected by police to be copyrighted by a criminal or their relatives could undermine transparency in the legal and law enforcement systems.

She highlighted the potential for selective leaking of evidence, as seen in the Covenant case where pages from Hale’s journals were leaked to the media. Fisher cautioned that this could set a precedent for similar cases in the future, limiting public access to crucial information.

As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for how information related to criminal investigations is handled and disclosed to the public.