Covenant parents plead for Nashville shooter’s writings to be kept private
Originally Published: 19 JUN 23 14:21 ET
By Kelly Broderick, Emily West
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) -- "No one can imagine it until it happens to you."
The Covenant School parents have filed statements in regard to the shooter's writings, in hopes of demonstrating the harm that would come from releasing the shooter's documents.
"These Declarations demonstrate the extent of the injury these young victims are suffering and provide their parents’ perspective regarding the harm that would occur should the shooter’s writings be released," the documents detail.
Of the statements, two came from parents who lost their children that day.
Erin Kinney, whose son William was killed that day wrote in part:
"I have no desire to write this statement. Every natural instinct in me tells me to hide from the world and shelter what is left of my family. I long for privacy and to be left alone from media intrusion, homicide investigations and unwelcome legal battles.
She goes on to detail how her family has been robbed of privacy and denied their ability to grieve in peace.
"Multiple parties who clearly care nothing about the well-being of their fellow humans seek to rob the six murder victims of dignity in their deaths by demanding the release of sensitive details of a very active and ongoing police investigation," she continues. "These are details that no outside party has any need or right to see and that no one here would want released in the devastating event their place was switched with mine."
Kinney added, "If they are successful in publishing and de facto platforming the Covenant School shooter, the odds are overwhelming in our broken society that there are individuals out there, already walking down a twisted and evil path, lurking in the dark rotting places of the internet, seeking the final motivation, encouragement, enticement to pull off a devastating attack of their own with the following simple formula: “kill kids, get yourself killed, be famous forever.”
Katy and Michael Dieckhaus, parents of Evelyn also called for the documents to remain sealed, stating:
As one of the families of going through such deep grieving of losing their loved one after simply dropping her off at school, we hope a more respectful, clear view can truly start to occur to help make a change that does not include releasing volumes of leverage for others planning similar devastation in this nation.
Several other parents added that their children have had trauma responses, including nightmares, trouble eating and sleeping and that it's important to keep the documents private for their families to heal.
WHERE THE COURT CASE IS
The documents are at the center of a legal battle over whether they should be released to the public.
Chancellor I'Ashea Myles is overseeing the case. Myles previously ruled that the Covenant church, school, and families could have a say in what if any, documents should be released.
Metro Police said the shooter had several journals detailing plans for the shooting and had been planning the attack for months. So far, police have indicated it would take a year to analyze all of the writings and documents from the shooter. As of last week, the writings — still in possession of the Metro Nashville Police Department — would go into the newly established Covenant Children's Trust.
It's not clear when, if ever, those documents would make it into the hand of the families. Right now all the documents are in police custody.
The case is set to be in court again on July 12.
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