Michael Patrick Leahy, editor and owner of The Tennessee Star, is facing potential imprisonment if he does not reveal the source who leaked the manifesto of Audrey Hale, the Covenant School shooter. Davidson County Chancellor I’Ashea Myles – a local Nashville trial judge – scheduled Leahy for a “show cause hearing” on Monday, June 17, following his publication of the leaked documents.
Audrey Hale’s attack on March 27, 2023, resulted in the deaths of three children and three adults. The manifesto, described as being filled with anti-white and anti-Christian statements, was released despite efforts by federal and local officials to keep it confidential. Authorities cited the risk of it serving as a roadmap for future copycat incidents and the potential unintended consequences for vulnerable populations.
Leahy’s legal representation, First Amendment lawyer Daniel Horwitz, filed an emergency motion on Wednesday to stay the court order. Citing freedom of the press and state law violations, Horwitz argued that the “show cause order” violated Tennessee’s shield law and due process guarantees, among other constitutional concerns.
Horwitz pointed out that the order was vague and did not clearly specify the provisions Leahy may have violated, raising procedural issues regarding Leahy’s ability to mount an adequate defense. In his arguments, Horwitz emphasized protections under the First Amendment against prior restraint, asserting that any prohibition of publication would be unconstitutional.
Following Myles’ refusal to rescind her order, an additional mandate required a representative from Nashville’s government to appear in court. The judge rejected claims of First Amendment infringements and indicated further actions could involve appointing an attorney as amicus curiae to investigate and potentially prosecute any contempt citations related to the case.
Myles has an extremely active Instagram page showcasing her support for gay pride, Juneteenth, and far-left Supreme Court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. She received a “Diversity Fellowship” between 2018 and 2021 and said upon her appointment to the court: “I am truly honored to have an opportunity, as a minority woman, to be the first to bring this diverse and inclusive perspective to our civil trial court bench in Nashville.”
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