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Panel Given Some Medical Files on Cho
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Those include Cho's records from Westfield High School in Chantilly and information about his interaction with state mental health and court officials after he was taken into emergency custody.
Fairfax County school officials said they have helped the panel connect with an administrator and a counselor who knew Cho when he attended Westfield. But they said they can't release Cho's records without a subpoena or permission from his family.
Virginia Tech spokesman Mark Owczarski said he didn't know whether the university would turn over Cho's academic records.
The panel released a statement that said it "is confident it will be able to obtain all the records and information that it needs from other sources . . . so that it can complete its important work and produce a thorough report and well-grounded recommendations."
At the same time, the panel is facing increasing scrutiny from some of the relatives of the victims.
Thomas J. Fadoul Jr., a Vienna attorney for 20 of the families, said a family member or their representative needs to be included on the panel so they can "steer" the investigation and guarantee that it is unbiased.
The release of the medical reports, Fadoul said, underscores why family members want to be on the panel. "They want to know what was in that guy's mind when he killed their kids and how his mind has developed over the years," he said.
If a family member or representative is not added to the panel, relatives would be inclined to sue, said Fadoul, whose cousin Reema Samaha of Centreville was killed by Cho.
J. Tucker Martin, a spokesman for Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell (R), would not comment. McDonnell's office would represent Kaine, taxpayers and Virginia Tech in any legal proceeding.
Staff writer Maria Glod contributed to this report.
