Judicial Watch Victory: Tennessee Court of Appeals Orders Release of The Covenant School Shooting Records

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today a major legal victory after the Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled that the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County must release non-exempt portions of records related to the March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School shooting, including the shooter’s writings.

Audrey Elizabeth Hale, a 28-year-old trans artist, was killed by police after opening fire on the private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, killing three adults and three children.

In May 2023, Judicial Watch filed an open records lawsuit on behalf of retired Hamilton County Sheriff James Hammond and the Tennessee Firearms Association, Inc. (“TFA”) (Hammond et al. v. Metropolitan Govt of Nashville et al. (No. 23-0538-III)).

The appeals court rejected every basis behind the lower court’s unprecedented decision to keep the records secret. The court held that the police investigative file is a public record, that the “ongoing investigation” rationale for hiding the records is now moot as the investigation is over, and that the court incorrectly imposed a blanket secrecy rule based on speculative school-security or copycat-crime concerns. It also rejected the trial court’s unilateral creation of policy-based exemptions not found in statute. The court also ruled that federal copyright law does not override the Public Records Act and does not justify wholesale suppression of records. Limited redactions may apply, but complete secrecy – including for the shooter’s writings – is unlawful.

The case was returned to the lower court with instructions to expedite its proceedings:

The trial court has discretion to prescribe additional procedures as necessary to govern the proceedings on remand. The entire process should be concluded as expeditiously as possible. Because almost three years have passed since the first request for this information, we encourage the trial court to impose upon [Metro] an expedited schedule for completion of its review of the [requested public records].

“Once again, Judicial Watch’s expert persistence in court achieved a transparency breakthrough on the awful Covenant School shooting. The public has a right to know fully how and why this terrible shooting took place,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

In April 2025, Judicial Watch obtained U.S. Department of Justice records of The Covenant School shooter’s manifesto. Additional records were obtained in August 2025.

John I. Harris III, Esq., of Schulman, LeRoy & Bennett, PC in Nashville, TN, assisted Judicial Watch with the lawsuit.

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