Police raid on newspaper prompts $3M payout, apology amid press freedom outcry

Officials in Marion County, Kansas, have agreed to pay more than $3 million and issue a formal apology over a 2023 police raid on a small-town newspaper that ignited national backlash and raised alarms about government overreach and press freedom.

The Marion County Record was raided after it received information about a local restaurant owner’s driving record — a story the paper 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 the home of its publisher, Eric Meyer.

Meyer’s 98-year-old mother and co-owner, Joan Meyer, collapsed and died the day after the raid — a loss her son attributed to the stress of the search.

The incident drew condemnation from national media organizations and First Amendment advocates who said it reflected a growing willingness by government officials to intimidate journalists.

“They intentionally wanted to harass us for reporting the news, and you’re not supposed to do that in a democracy,” Meyer said after the settlement was announced.

Two independent prosecutors later found that no crimes had been committed and said the warrants relied on inaccurate information from an “inadequate investigation.”

As part of the settlement, Marion County Sheriff Jeff Soyez issued a written apology acknowledging his office’s role in the raid and expressing “sincere regrets” to Meyer and others targeted.

Former Police Chief Gideon Cody, who ordered the raid, resigned soon after and now faces a felony charge of interfering with a judicial process for allegedly persuading a potential witness to withhold information from investigators.

He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial in February.

Meyer said he hopes the outcome will deter future attempts by public officials to retaliate against journalists.

“The goal isn’t to get the money. The money is symbolic,” Meyer said. “The press has basically been under assault.”

The raid and ensuing lawsuit have become a national case study in press freedom and accountability, underscoring how even small local newsrooms can face government pressure — and how costly such overreach can become 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 Associated Press contributed to this report.