Trendpills
Marion County, Kansas, has agreed to a significant settlement with the Marion County Record newspaper over a police raid that drew national condemnation and raised serious First Amendment concerns. The county will pay $3 million and has issued a formal statement of regret for the August 2023 search of the newspaper's office and the home of its publisher, Eric Meyer. The raid resulted in the seizure of computers, cell phones, and reporting materials.
The incident began when police, led by then-Chief Gideon Cody, executed a search warrant as part of an investigation into how the newspaper obtained information about a local business owner. The raid sparked a nationwide constitutional debate over press freedom, with critics arguing it violated the First and Fourth Amendments, as well as the federal Privacy Protection Act of 1980, which shields journalists from such searches. Tragically, the newspaper's 98-year-old co-owner, Joan Meyer, died one day after her home was searched, an event her son and fellow publisher Eric Meyer attributed to the stress of the raid.
In the days following the search, the county attorney withdrew the warrant, citing insufficient evidence to justify the seizure of materials. The intense scrutiny and backlash over the raid’s legality ultimately led to the resignation of the police chief in October 2023, two months after the event.
Publisher Eric Meyer pursued legal action to hold the officials accountable, framing the lawsuit as a necessary step to set a precedent against governmental overreach. According to a report from the Kansas Reflector, the settlement resolves the newspaper's claims against the county commission, the sheriff, and the county clerk. However, the newspaper’s federal lawsuit against the City of Marion and former Police Chief Cody is expected to continue.
