The pursuit of truth and transparency threatened the freedom of a Tennessee reporter who now faces prison for his coverage of the Covenant school killer.
Since March 27, 2023, when self-described “trans” woman Audrey Hale executed a pre-planned attack on a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, killing six people, including three nine-year-old children, a concerted effort to maintain the. the public's personal writings have remained in place.
Now, after Michael Patrick Leahy, CEO of Star News Digital Media and editor-in-chief of the Tennessee Star, allowed excerpts of the killer's writings to be published, Nashville Chancellor I'Ashea Myles has called the journalist to a “demonstration hearing”. Monday for possible contempt of court.
While the Associated Press reported that Leahy may have violated court orders for the “alleged release of certain documents and purported information” sealed by the judge in the public records case seeking the release of Hale's writings, freelance reporter Michael Shellenberger made it clear that the audience implications went beyond public access to documents.
Referring to the Supreme Court's Pentagon Papers ruling that revolved around the 1971 leak of Defense Department documents on the U.S. perspective on the Vietnam War, Shellenberger suggested Myles may have violated this First Amendment-protected ruling when he ordered Leahy to “disclose the source of the documents leaked to him.”
“A judge has no right to force me to do something unconstitutional,” The Star's editor-in-chief told the reporter by phone.
Summarizing the significance of Monday's hearing where Leahy would have to defend himself against being held in contempt, Shellenberger said: “The FBI had blocked the release of the documents, apparently fearing copycat killings by a 'segment of the population most vulnerable or open to conspiracy”. theories.' Someone leaked them to Leahy anyway, and published articles citing them.”
“The case is important to anyone who cares about free speech, a free press and the principle of the Pentagon Papers,” he continued. “Leahy's attorney filed an emergency motion last week, arguing that the judge's order would violate the First Amendment and Tennessee state law.”
Similarly, the executive director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, Deborah Fisher, told the AP, “This could raise First Amendment issues.”
Citing court documents, the AP said Hale had “at least 20 journals, a suicide note and unpublished memoirs,” which were kept from the public because of an active police investigation, a matter that prompted the 'Star to sue.
In November, a leak of the so-called “manifesto” led to the administrative termination of seven members of the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department after commentator Steven Crowder shared images of handwritten pages from his show's document, ” Louder with Crowder”.
Seven Nashville officers were administratively charged over the leak of the Covenant shooter's manifesto https://t.co/Hh0liHGc1j road @BIZPACRevision
— Based on BPR (@DumpstrFireNews) November 9, 2023
talking with The Center Square On Sunday, Leahy indicated, “Yes, I intend to appear in court Monday at 11 a.m., along with my attorneys, Nick Barry with America First Legal and Daniel Horwitz, a recognized First Amendment attorney at the national based in Nashville.”
“The American people deserve to know the details of how Hale was radicalized by the trans agenda,” former US Attorney Jeff Clark told X. “And the family of the victims especially deserve to know that information.”
“That's what the free press is for. It's not designed to pander to the trans movement or keep secrets that could get people killed out of ignorance,” he continued. “Worse still” what's being threatened against Mike Leahy seems to be a strange amalgam of 1) violating the ban on First Amendment restrictions on speech; 2) a threat to violate the law like Alvin Bragg v. Trump (“go ahead, ladies and gentlemen, pick an additional crime”); and 3) weaponization of contempt law, like what's happening in Fulton County with Judge Glanville in the Young Thug trial.”
“What's going on in America? It's as if a portion of the state judiciary in several states has lost its collective mind,” Clark concluded. “It must be a silly election season.”
More attacks on conservatives. @michaelpleahy is in jeopardy in Tennessee state court to try to get Covenant killer Audrey Hale's “manifesto” out. And presumably more information about her.
The American people deserve to know the details of how Hale was radicalized by…
— Jeff Clark (@JeffClarkUS) June 13, 2024
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