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Unsubstantiated Allegation by WSMV Reporter Prompts Judge to Order Show Cause Hearing over The Tennessee Star’s Reporting on Covenant Killer Investigation June 11, 2024 Tom Pappert 1/2
Late Monday, Michael Patrick Leahy, the editor-in chief of The Tennessee Star, was ordered to appear at a show cause hearing before Tennessee Chancery Court Judge L’Ashea Myles on June 17 over his publication’s reporting about the writings left by Covenant School killer Audrey Hale after her devastating attack on the Covenant School on March 27, 2023 that claimed the lives of three 9-year-old children and three adults.
The purpose of the show cause hearing will be “to determine why the alleged publication of certain purported documents by Petitioners Star Digital Media [sic] and Michael Leahy, as the Editor-in-Chief, does not violate the Orders of this Court subjecting them to contempt proceedings and sanctions.”
The Star reported last Wednesday it has obtained 80 pages of Hale’s writings from a journal left in her vehicle and discovered by the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on March 27, 2023. Those pages are found on 40 photographic images, or documents, each of which contains two pages of Hale’s journal. The Star has subsequently published numerous articles based in part on some of the information found in those 40 photographic images of 80 pages, but it has not published a single one of those photographic images, or documents. Leahy and Star News Digital Media, Inc., which owns and operates The Star, are both plaintiffs in the ongoing Tennessee lawsuit to compel the MNPD to release Hale’s writings. Leahy and Star News are also plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit which seeks to compel the FBI to release Hale’s writings.
Judge Myles explained in her Monday order that the Court “received a media call requesting a comment or statement.”According to Myles’ order, the comment request involved the “alleged publication of certain purported documents and information that this Court has in its possession for in camera review in this matter.” (emphasis added)
WSMV reporter Stacey Cameron (pictured above) acknowledged that he placed the “media call requesting comment” in an article he authored that was published by WSMV on Monday, andwas responsible for making the unsubstantiated allegation to the judgethat apparently included the inaccurate claim that The Star had allegedly published “[leaked] documents in violation of her order.”:
• However, Judge Myles was unaware of the supposed leak, until WSMV4 Investigates’ Stacey Cameron called the court asking for a reaction to the leak, wanting to know if she was considering holding the Star or anyone else in contempt.
• On Monday night, Judge Myles set a court hearing for next Monday morning, ordering the Star and Michael Leahy, to appear before the judge and show cause why she should not hold them in contempt for their alleged publication of the documents in violation of her order.
According to Cameron, he specifically called the court to ask if Myles “was considering holding” The Star “or anyone else in contempt.”In a post Cameron made on the social media platform X, he additionally claimed, “My phone call to the court prompts contempt hearing in Covenant writings case following new round of leaks.”
On Monday Leahy will be asked to explain in court “why the alleged publication of certain documents” (emphasis added) by The Star does not violate previous orders set by the court. On February 13, the court released an order that stated:
Any supplemental filings, declarations, and/or affidavits filed by the Parties and/or Amici or sought to be filed by the Parties and/or Amici containing any direct information, no matter how obtained, which is the subject matter of this case SHALL NOT be filed with the Court but SHALL BE submitted for in camera review following the procedures delineated in this case. Any supplemental filings, declarations, and/or affidavits filed with the Clerk & Master on Tuesday, February 12, 2024, containing information, no matter how obtained, which is the subject matter of this case, shall not be made part of the record and shall be submitted to this Court for in camera review. Any efforts to usurp the Orders of this Court by any Party, Counsel and/or Amici regarding the matters currently under in camera review shall be sanctioned to the fullest extent of the law, including contempt of Court.”
On February 25, Judge Myles issued this “Order Clarifying the Order of February 13, 2024.”
https://tennesseestar.com/covenant-school-shooting/unsubstantiated-allegation-by-wsmv-reporter-prompts-judge-to-order-show-cause-hearing-over-the-tennessee-stars-reporting-on-covenant-killer-investigation/tpappert/2024/06/11/