Civil Bites | Local Newspaper Wins Big

In Marion County, Kansas, a small town dispute escalated into a series of dramatic events involving police raids, press freedom violations, and allegations of misconduct. The conflict stemmed from a divorce case involving a local restaurant owner, Carrie, who was accused of driving without a license. The local newspaper, Marion County Record, became entangled in the dispute and faced severe repercussions, including a police raid on their office and the homes of their staff. The raid led to legal actions, health issues for employees, and the eventual death of the newspaper’s 98-year-old co-owner. The scandal drew international attention, resulting in legal battles that continued for years and ultimately concluded with a significant settlement and the resignation of the police chief involved.

00:00 Introduction to Marion County Controversy

00:11 The Dispute and Initial Allegations

01:02 Newspaper Involvement and Accusations

02:21 The Raid and Its Immediate Aftermath

03:07 Health Impacts and Legal Violations

04:24 International Attention and Legal Actions

05:20 Investigations into Police Chief Cody

07:51 Consequences and Settlements

08:41 Ongoing Legal Proceedings

Transcript

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The story begins in Marion County, Kansas, in the city of Marion, a town of about 1900 residents. The city is located about 150 miles to the southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. The raid originated with a dispute between a local restaurant owner and her husband who were undergoing divorce proceedings. Her husband, Ryan was worried that his soon to be ex-wife, Carrie. Continued to drive and obtained a liquor license for her restaurant despite Carrie losing her driver's license. In 2008 due to A DUI charge. Ryan stated an unnamed source gave him a screenshot of Carrie's driving record. Ryan then passed a screenshot to a friend who in turn sent the screenshot to a councilwoman named Ruth and the Marion County newspaper, the Marion County record. Carrie alleged someone had accessed her private files by using a piece of post mail addressed to her by the Kansas Department of Revenue. Carrie claimed this was a violation of the Driver's Privacy Act, which makes it illegal to use any information. The Marion County record initially did not report on the evidence against Carrie believing the materials were leaked in relation to the divorce proceedings. The newspaper's, publisher and co-owner Eric Meyer, notified the local police of the leak. Soon after at a city council meeting, Carrie accused the newspaper of having her personal information. She admitted that she had continued to drive after losing her license, but alleged that the newspaper illegally obtained her information and distributed that information throughout the county. Okay. After those accusations, the newspaper published an article about the allegations Kerry made against the newspaper. The newspaper reported that a confidential source alleged that local law enforcement was aware that Carrie didn't have a license and that city police ignored repeated driving violations by her. The Marion Police Department, chief Gideon, Cody. Wrote that the records obtained would not have been accessed if a confidential source had not impersonated her soon-to-be ex-husband Ryan. The Marion Police Department then had a magistrate judge who the judge had a history of DUI arrest and driving on a suspended license record, authorize a search in connection with the criminal investigation into identity theft using carrie's information. On August 11th, 2023, the Marion Police Department raided the Marion County Records newspaper office, the home of Councilwoman Ruth, and they raid the home of 98-year-old Joan Meyer, co-owner and mother of the newspaper publisher Eric Meyer. Officer sees computers, cell phones, and reporting materials. In response, Eric Meyer filed to obtain a copy of the affidavit supporting the issuance of a probable cause warrant. The magistrate judge responded that she did not have a probable cause warrant during the raid. Body cam footage showed that the recently hired police Chief Cody was alerted to the presence of printed information about himself. Two seasoned female employees suffered health problems after this raid. One of them, Deb Groover. Had recently uncovered that police Chief Cody was anticipating being demoted at his former employer with the Kansas City Police Department. The demotion was due to allegations made against him from a workplace harassment. Cody instead opted for an early retirement. Deb Groover resigned from her position saying that the raid had caused her to suffer a stress related condition. But her story doesn't end here. The second employee, Phyllis Zorn, cited permanent aggravation of a seizure disorder as a result of the raid. This raid violates federal law. That law provides protections against searching and seizing materials from journalists. Essentially admit one of our constitution, freedom of the press one day after the raid on her home, the 98-year-old co-owner of the newspaper, Joan Meyer died. Video recording shows her extremely distressed as the police were raiding her home. She even says, quote, you know, if I have a heart attack and die, it's all your fault. If I die, you're gonna be sued for murder. The entire incident attracted international attention. 34 news organizations signed a four page letter condemning the Marion Police. The Society of Professional Journalists offered$20,000 for the legal defense. The Writer's Guild of America called for the officers to be held accountable. Days later. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation or the KBI said that the seized items would be returned. They also said that they would proceed with an investigation into the raid without reviewing any of the seized evidence. By the end of the day, the Marion County Attorney General withdrew the warrant. A complaint was filed against the magistrate judge, but later dismissed the Kansas Commission of Judicial Conduct stated in the dismissal. Facts and circumstances were not sufficient to conclude the issuance of the warrant crossed the line of incompetence. However, this is not to say that the commission agrees that the issuance of the search warrant in this instance was reasonable or legally appropriate in post raid interviews, owner and publisher Eric Meyer stated that the newspaper had been in the process of investigating police Chief Cody. Cody took the position just two months prior to the raids. The paper received numerous tips that Cody left the Kansas City police job under a cloud of misconduct allegations, but the paper had yet to publish an article about the investigation because the sources had not agreed to go on record. The seized computers contained those allegations and the tipster identities. Eric Meyer also said one of the newspaper reporters approached the police chief about those allegations. In response, the chief threatened to sue the newspaper. Previously Cody had expelled the newspaper reporters from a meeting with Jake La Turner. La Turner is the Republican congressman from Kansas' Second Congressional District. Reportedly, this was done at the behest of the wife Gary, whose restaurant was the location of the meeting. La Turner staff, which invited the reporters, apologized. It had been discovered. The Chief Cody, a captain of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department property crimes Unit was under internal review for allegedly making assaulting and sexist comments to a female officer in May of 2023. At the end of the internal investigation, Cody was told that he would be demoted to Sergeant. He instead chose to resign from the position that carried a salary of$115,000. Soon thereafter, Cody was sworn in as Marianne's new police chief, which carried a salary of$60,000. On August 30th, 2023, three weeks after the raid, newspaper reporter Deb Groover, published anonymous allegations from a former internal affairs detective for the Kansas City, Missouri Police. Allegedly, Cody had a reputation for bad judgment. In one instance, he sped through an active scene of a suicide jumper and ran over the body, compromising the entire crime scene. As a result, he was transferred and suspended on September 28th, 2023, Marion, Kansas Mayor David Mayfield, suspended Cody, with no reason given. On October 2nd, Cody resigned effective. Immediately fast forward to November, 2025. Marion County agreed to pay a little more than$3 million and apologize for the raids under the judgment The estate of Meyer's mother who died just one day after the raid on her home. We'll receive$1 million. Eric Meyer, the two former employees, Deb and Phyllis, and the paper's business manager, will split a 1.1 million judgment and former Councilwoman Ruth, whose home was also rated, will receive$650,000. Meyer said he's considering to fund, to ensure the Repa remains financially viable, or a program to encourage young journalists to work in communities like his claims against the city and city officials have not been settled. As for the former police chief. Cody will be charged with obstruction of the judicial process, a felony for directing Carrie to delete a text message conversation about the raid, and for the removal of two pages of her witness statement that included evidence showing that Cody had reached out to her to tell her she was a victim of a crime. In October of 2025, a judge determined there was enough evidence to go to trial that is scheduled for February 2nd, 2026. Damn the T on that story was great. What a story fascinated by this. I'm gonna keep following it. Uh, interested to see what happens.