Privacy Digest

Ridge: Va. Tech panel needs access to shooter's medical records: "The panel investigating the shootings at Virginia Tech needs to find a way to gain access to the shooter's mental health records, one member said Monday at the group's second meeting since the April 16 massacre.

'We'd be remiss if we didn't do a real deep dive into this area,' said Tom Ridge, the former U.S. Homeland Security secretary.

Student Seung-Hui Cho, who shot 32 students and faculty members before killing himself, was found 'mentally ill and in need of hospitalization' in December 2005, according to court papers. A judge ordered him into involuntary outpatient treatment, but there is no indication that Cho complied.

University counsel Kay Heidbreder said student privacy rights prevent release of most records. Even within the university, the records cannot be shared among departments, she said.

Ridge said he understood that privacy rights are necessary, but believes in this case the panel should do what it can to get Cho's records.

Panel chairman W. Gerald Massengill said the panel would be willing to receive the information in closed session if necessary.

Earlier in the day, the panel visited the two buildings where the shootings occurred. The tour included a more than two-hour private briefing, featuring a presentation by Virginia Tech police chief Wendell Flinchum, who led the initial response to the shootings.

Massengill said it was helpful to hear about the shootings from people who were there and to view the shooting sites."

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