From Brewer v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville, decided yesterday by the Tennessee Court of Appeals (Judge Kristi Davis, joined by Judges John McClarty and Thomas Frierson):
This case stems from the tragic shooting that occurred at The Covenant School … in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 27, 2023. After killing six victims within the School, including three children, [the shooter] was shot and killed by responding Metro police officers.
This led to requests from various people and organizations under the Tennessee Public Records Act (the "TPRA") for various records, including "the shooter's journals and personal writings." The trial court concluded this information was exempt from disclosure, but the Court of Appeals largely disagreed. The opinion is long (nearly 15,000 words), but here is an excerpt related to the "school safety" argument:
