A Nashville judge heard arguments for and against releasing transgender school shooter Audrey Hale’s manifesto on Monday.
The 28-year-old biological woman, who identified as male, killed six people at the Christian Covenant School in Nashville in March — including three nine-year-old children.
Hale was fatally shot by police within minutes of their arrival at the school but left behind a slew of writings that are said to contain specific details about the shooting.
According to a report from Fox News, Monday’s status hearing “saw attorneys representing the parents, church and school, the city of Nashville and attorneys for The Covenant School, Covenant Church and Covenant parents amid a slew of lawsuits arguing both for and against the release of the writing that could shed light on a potential motive.”
Another hearing on Hale’s writings is scheduled for June 8, and the judge is expected to decide by Wednesday if the victims’ parents will be allowed to testify.
Last Wednesday, a group of parents with children at the Covenant School filed a motion to prevent the writings from being made public.
“The Parents see no good that can come from the release and wish to contend that the writings — which they believe are the dangerous and harmful writings of a mentally-damaged person – should not be released at all,” their filing said.
Over 60 Tennessee House Republicans have called for the manifesto to be released. Multiple conservative groups have also filed lawsuits over the records and documents being kept from the public.
Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during a press conference after the shooting that in addition to the manifesto, they found a map detailing how the incident would take place created by Hale and writings “that pertain to this date, the actual incident.”
“We have a manifesto; we have some writings. We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place,” Chief Drake said.
LGBTQ groups have opposed the release of the manifesto.
Jordan Budd, the executive director of Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE), argued shortly after the shooting that the focus should be on guns instead of Hale’s motive, which many have speculated has to do with her transgender ideology.
“It should not be published,” Budd told Newsweek. “The focus should be on how this was able to happen in the first place. There should not be such easy access to deadly weaponry.”
Charles Moran, the national president of Log Cabin Republicans, a Republican organization, has also opposed the release, claiming that there could be “serious consequences.”
“While it would certainly give insight into the motivations of this deeply troubled individual that could help shed light into root causes, we know from tragedies like this that additional glorification of the shooter could inspire others to take similar violent acts for attention,” Moran said.
