NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a motion filed Monday, The Covenant School's attorneys have filed a motion of intervention in two separate cases asking for the court to withhold some documents in reference to a mass shooting on its campus.
Last week, The Covenant Church also filed a motion of intervention.
There are three parties who want the shooter's writings and all related materials from the Metro Nashville Police Department. Those parties are the Tennessee Firearms Association, the National Police Association, and the Tennessee Star.
The school filed a motion of intervention in only two of those cases: the firearms and police association lawsuits.
In early May, Metro police said they would not release records related to the Covenant shooting at this time. Police said they were advised by counsel to "hold in abeyance the release of records." Metro attorney Wally Dietz said at the time this comes as the result of those two different entities filing suit for the documents. First Amendment lawyers and public records advocates tell NewsChannel 5 the records are public regardless of the suit because MNPD hasn't indicated they were actively using those documents to charge anyone with a crime.
In its motion for intervention, attorneys for the school said they were filing to "protect its interests" relating to the release of records sought in the matter.
"The records sought may include and/or relate to sensitive information owned by The Covenant School, including but not limited to the schematics of school facilities and confidential information pertaining to The Covenant School employees and students," those attorneys wrote in the motion.
This motion is set to be heard in the Davidson County Chancery Court on May 18 at 1 p.m.
