Nashville Covenant School shooter’s manifesto delivered to judge

A Tennessee judge is set to decide whether the full, unredacted manifesto of Covenant School shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale will be publicly released.

The city’s lawyers have submitted the manifesto, along with a censored version, to the Davidson County jurist for review, the local FOX17 affiliate reported.

The move comes after a slew of lawsuits calling on the city to release the manifesto, in its entirety, involving the March 27 massacre that left three children and three staff members dead before Hale, 28, was shot and killed by responding police.

With a motive yet to be determined, many believe the writings could bring insight as to why Hale, a former student at the Christian elementary school, committed the atrocity.

The manifesto was previously under review by Nashville police and the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who claimed the FBI was behind the delay in releasing the manifesto, said the writings “could maybe tell us a little bit about what’s going on inside of [Hale’s] head.”

Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston said she was told Hale’s manifesto was a “blue-print on total destruction” and that one high-ranking Metro Nashville Police Department official informed her “it keeps him up at night.”

Authorities previously said Hale, a transgender man, was undergoing doctor’s care for an emotional disorder.

Hale shot and killed 9-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, as well as school janitor Mike Hill, substitute teacher Cynthia Peak and headmistress Katherine Koonce.

A status conference to discuss the manifesto will be held Wednesday between a Davidson County judge and Nashville city attorneys.

A public hearing about the killer’s writings will be held June 8.