Before Audrey Elizabeth Hale stormed the private Covenant Presbyterian School in Nashville and killed three children and three adults, she wrote a manifesto.
Originally published at WND News Center. Used with permission.
But authorities still are concealing it, depriving the community of what might prove to be important information about the assault.
Now the Tennessee Firearms Association is asking a court to order the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to release it.
The lawsuit by the TFA, which was joined by former Hamilton County Sheriff James Hammond, asks a judge in Davidson County to grant the organization access to the writings.
“[The Police Department] knew that the requested records were public and refused to disclose them,” explains the filing. It accuses local authorities of violating the Tennessee Public Records Act.
“We believe under the Tennessee Open Records Act that it’s not a question of will the manifesto be disclosed, but why have government officials stopped the release and how long will it take a court to address why that nondisclosure should be vacated and the government ordered to disclose the records,” explained TFA chief John Harris.
A report from the Star News Network explains the TFA asked for the public record on April 13 and the document was found. According to the complaint, TFA sent a public records request asking police to release the “manifesto” reportedly found in Hale’s parents’ home.
They refused.
Nashville police also refused a number of other public information requests.
While police claimed the law “prohibits” release of the information, the report pointed out that wasn’t exactly right.
“We believe the public’s right to know is so important that we are willing to challenge the most powerful law enforcement agency in America,” Michael Patrick Leahy, editor-in-chief of The Star News Network.