Marion County, Kansas, has agreed to pay $3 million and issue an apology after a police raid on a local newspaper sparked national outrage over concerns about press freedom violations. The raid, which occurred in 2023, targeted the Marion County Record after the paper received information about a local restaurant owner’s driving record — a story it ultimately chose not to publish. Days later, police obtained search warrants accusing the newsroom of identity theft and computer crimes, seizing computers, phones, and reporting materials from both the paper’s office and publisher Eric Meyer’s home. The incident led to the death of Joan Meyer, the paper’s co-owner and 98-year-old mother of publisher Eric Meyer, shortly after the raid. The national media organizations and First Amendment advocates condemned the action, calling it a reflection of growing government willingness to intimidate journalists.
Two independent prosecutors later found that no crimes had been committed, and the warrants relied on inaccurate information from an inadequate investigation. As part of the settlement, Marion County Sheriff Jeff Soye, who oversaw the raid, issued a written apology, expressing ‘sincere regrets’ to Meyer and others targeted. Former Police Chief Gideon Cody, who ordered the raid, resigned and now faces a felony charge of interfering with a judicial process for allegedly persuading a potential witness to withhold information. Meyer hopes the outcome will deter future attempts by public officials to retaliate against journalists, emphasizing that the goal of the settlement is not financial but symbolic of the broader assault on press freedom.
The raid and ensuing lawsuit have become a national case study in press freedom and accountability, highlighting the potential for even small local newsrooms to face government pressure and the costly consequences of such overreach when it violates constitutional rights. The federal Privacy Protection Act generally prohibits police from searching newsrooms or seizing materials from journalists, except in rare circumstances involving alleged criminal wrongdoing — a defense that local officials cited at the time. The incident underscores the increasing vulnerability of journalism in the face of government overreach, raising critical questions about the balance between law enforcement and the protection of democratic freedoms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.