A Nashville judge is set to weigh in on a unique legal issue today involving the estate of a mass murderer and a posthumous copyright claim over the killer's handwritten confession. The case stems from a public records lawsuit against the city and its police department seeking the release of Audrey Elizabeth Hale's manifesto related to the Covenant Christian School massacre.
After Hale's death, her parents transferred her estate to her victims' families, who have intervened in the lawsuit and are asserting ownership of the copyright to the killer's manifesto. They argue that the estate includes the manifesto and are seeking to block its public release.
Attorney Doug Pierce, representing plaintiffs Clata Renee Brewer and the National Police Association, emphasized that establishing copyright protection would require the documents to be presented in federal court, potentially revealing sensitive information.
Hale, a 28-year-old transgender artist who identified as a male named Aiden, carried out the attack on the Christian elementary school, resulting in the deaths of three adults and three children. Police recovered a manifesto and hand-drawn maps from her car, which they initially planned to make public.
However, both city police and the FBI have denied public records requests, citing concerns about potential harm to an ongoing investigation. Despite the families' claims to the copyright, the document remains sealed, pending the judge's decision.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed to compel the government to release the manifesto, arguing that Hale was the sole suspect and that no active investigation is ongoing. Critics have raised questions about the delays in making the document public and have expressed interest in learning more about the killer's motives.
In a related federal lawsuit, a judge ordered the FBI to submit the manifesto under seal for review, with leaked excerpts hinting at the contents. However, the full extent of Hale's writings remains the subject of legal dispute, with the public eagerly awaiting further insights into the tragic events.
