Judd family files notice to dismiss suit over death records

The family of country singer Naomi Judd on Monday filed a notice to voluntarily dismiss a lawsuit that sought to block journalists from accessing the police investigation records surrounding her death.
Judd died on April 30 at her home in Tennessee at the age of 76. Her daughter Ashley has previously said that her mother killed herself, and the family said she was lost to "the disease of mental illness."
Judd's family filed a petition in Williamson County Chancery Court in August seeking to seal the report of the death investigation. The petition said the records contained video and audio interviews with relatives in the immediate aftermath of Judd's death. Releasing such details would inflict "significant trauma and irreparable harm" on the family, the petition said.
The notice filed on Monday said the family is now willing to have the lawsuit dismissed. In part that is because the journalists who requested the police records are not requesting photographs of the deceased or body cam footage taken inside the home. The notice also said a state lawmaker is introducing a bill that would make death investigation records private where the death is not the result of a crime.
The voluntary dismissal is subject to approval by a judge.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Video of brutal, violent beating of Tyre Nichols leaves many unanswered questions
The nation and the city of Memphis struggled to come to grips Saturday with video showing police pummeling Tyre Nichols -- footage that left many unanswered questions about the traffic stop involving the Black motorist and about other law enforcement officers who stood by as he lay motionless on the pavement.

Health Canada maintains use of COVID prevention drug Evusheld despite FDA pullback
Health Canada says it will continue to recommend COVID-19 prevention drug, Evulsheld, despite U.S. FDA pulling back its emergency use authorization due to concerns around its efficacy against Omicron subvariant 'Kraken.'
Germany won't be a 'party to the war' amid tanks exports to Ukraine: Ambassador
Germany's ambassador to Canada says NATO will not become 'a party to the conflict' in Ukraine, despite several countries announcing they'll answer President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's pleas for tanks, possibly increasing the risk of Russian escalation.
W5 EXCLUSIVE | Interviewing a narco hitman: my journey into Mexico's cartel heartland
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
OPINION | Selling a home? How to know if you qualify for a capital gains exemption
When selling a home, Canadians may be exempted from paying capital gains tax on a residential property -- if it's their principal residence. On CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains what's determined as a principal residence, and what properties are eligible for the exemption.
What we know -- and still don't know -- about what led to Tyre Nichols' death
Tyre Nichols was hospitalized after he was pulled over on January 7, police have said. Five Memphis Police Department officers, who also are Black, were fired after an internal investigation and are facing criminal charges, including second-degree murder.
Inflation-focused Pierre Poilievre back to Parliament as health-care talks loom
With a deal under negotiation between Ottawa and provinces, and premiers invited to a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in early February, the issue remains one where the Tory leader's position appears somewhat murky, including to some inside his own party.
U.S. mass shootings lead to widening divide on state gun policies
Mass shootings have commanded public attention on a disturbingly frequent basis across the U.S., from a supermarket slaying in Buffalo, New York, to an elementary school tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, to a recent shooting at a California dance hall.
Taliban warn women can't take entry exams at universities
The Taliban on Saturday doubled down on their ban on women's education, reinforcing in a message to private universities that Afghan women are barred from taking university entry exams, according to a spokesman.