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Raid of the Marion County Record

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Coordinates: 38°20′50″N 97°1′12″W / 38.34722°N 97.02000°W / 38.34722; -97.02000
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Raid of the Marion County Record
Map
Location of raid
DateAugust 11, 2023; 14 months ago (2023-08-11)
LocationMarion, Kansas, US
Coordinates38°20′50″N 97°1′12″W / 38.34722°N 97.02000°W / 38.34722; -97.02000
ParticipantsMarion Police Department
DeathsJoan Meyer (98)

On August 11, 2023, the office of the Marion County Record, the newspaper of record for Marion County, Kansas, was raided by the Marion Police Department. Officers seized reporting materials.[1]

Background

Newell dispute

Sworn affidavits allege that a Marion County Record reporter obtained the driving record of local restaurant owner Kari Newell. Marion Police Department chief Gideon Cody wrote that the records would otherwise not have been accessed if the employee had not impersonated Newell's husband Ryan or lied. The raid originated with a dispute between the Newells; Ryan Newell told The Washington Post that he was concerned that his wife had continued driving and received a liquor license despite losing her driver's license in 2008 for drunk driving. Newell stated that an unnamed source gave him a screenshot of his wife's driving record and that he had passed the screenshot to a friend, who sent the screenshot to councilwoman Ruth Herbel and a Marion County Record reporter.[2] At a city council meeting on August 7, 2023, Kari Newell accused the Record of having her "private personal information". Herbel alerted Marion's city administrator to the incident and advised that police should intervene. Magistrate judge Laura Viar authorized a search on August 11 in connection with a criminal investigation into identity theft using Newell's information.[3]

Raid

On the morning of August 11, 2023, Marion Police Department officers raided the office of the Marion County Record.[4]

After the raid, officers searched the home of Record co-owner Joan Meyer, who was 98 years old. Security footage showed Meyer swearing at officers and insisting that they leave.[5]

The officers also searched the home of Vice Mayor Ruth Hubel.[6]

Aftermath

Joan Meyer

Following the raid, Meyer reportedly had difficulty sleeping. The following day, she refused to eat and repeatedly asked, "Where are all the good people to put a stop to this?" She died at approximately 1:30 p.m. CDT. Her son Eric, publisher and co-owner of the newspaper, stated that a coroner determined that the raid contributed to his mother's death.[7]

Chief Gideon Cody

On September 28, Mayor David Mayfield suspended Chief Cody.[8] Cody resigned October 2, effective immediately; the city council appointed Officer Zach Hudlin acting chief of police.[9][10]

Reactions

The Writers Guild of America, East and the NewsGuild-CWA called for the officers who raided the Marion County Record to be held accountable.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Moon, Sarah (August 16, 2023). "Police raid Kansas newspaper office and owner's home, seize records and computers". CNN. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  2. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan; Swaine, Jon (August 19, 2023). "Confidential affidavits detail reasoning for police raid of Kansas newspaper". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Andrade, Sofia; Farhi, Paul (August 13, 2023). "After a police raid on a Kansas newspaper, questions mount". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Li, David (August 21, 2023). "Police accused raided Kansas newspaper of lying to get records. A reporter used public info". NBC News. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Li, David (August 22, 2023). "'Get out of my house': 98-year-old co-owner of Kansas newspaper swears at police during raid". NBC News. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  6. ^ Burke, Minyvonne (September 20, 2023). "Marion, Kansas, vice mayor wants police chief suspended following 'illegal' raid at her home". NBC News. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  7. ^ Risen, Clay (August 15, 2023). "Joan Meyer, Longtime Editor of a Besieged Newspaper, Dies at 98". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  8. ^ Swaim, Chance; Moore, Katie (September 30, 2023). "Marion police chief who raided Kansas newspaper suspended: Marion County Record". Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  9. ^ McMaster, Jessica; Kaut, Steve (October 2, 2023). "Marion, Kansas, police chief resigns nearly 2 months after raid on newspaper". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  10. ^ Medina, Eduardo (October 3, 2023). "Police Chief Who Ordered Raid on Kansas Newspaper Resigns". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  11. ^ Connelly, Eileen (August 22, 2023). "WGA East: Cops Who Raided Kansas Newspaper Must be 'Held Accountable'". TheWrap. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
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