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Ashley Judd pens powerful piece about ‘the right to keep’ pain private
“My beloved mom, Naomi Judd, who had come to consider that her psychological sickness would solely worsen, by no means higher, took her personal life that day. The trauma of discovering after which holding her laboring physique haunts my nights,” Judd writes. “As my household and I proceed to mourn our loss, the rampant and merciless misinformation that has unfold about her loss of life, and about {our relationships} together with her, stalks my days.”
“The horror of it can solely worsen if the small print surrounding her loss of life are disclosed by the Tennessee regulation that usually permits police stories, together with household interviews, from closed investigations to be made public,” she provides.
Judd describes being interviewed by authorities on the day of her mom’s loss of life.
“I by no means thought to ask my very own questions, together with: Is your physique digital camera on? Am I being audio recorded once more? The place and the way will what I’m sharing be saved, used and made out there to the general public?” Judd writes.
“Relations who’ve misplaced a cherished one are sometimes revictimized by legal guidelines that may expose their most personal moments to the general public,” she wrote. “Within the fast aftermath of a life-altering tragedy, once we are in a state of acute shock, trauma, panic and misery, the authorities present as much as discuss to us.”
CNN has reached out to a consultant of Judd for remark.
A spokesperson for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Workplace in Tennessee referred CNN to legal professional Courtney King for remark.
“Whereas we disagree with sure representations made in Ms. Judd’s essay, we don’t focus on issues which can be the topic of pending litigation,” King, an legal professional for Williamson County, instructed CNN in an electronic mail.
She’s now advocating for lawmakers to step in.
“I hope that leaders in Washington and in state capitals will present some fundamental protections for these concerned within the police response to psychological well being emergencies,” she writes. “These emergencies are tragedies, not grist for public spectacle.”