<p>The mayor of a small town in Kansas reportedly suspended the police chief who led the August raids of a local newspaper&#8217;s office and homes of its owners, including a 98-year-old woman who died less than 24 hours later, in a move that garnered national attention from news organizations and freedom of press advocates.</p>
<p>Marion Mayor Dave Mayfield <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-09-30/the-police-chief-who-led-a-raid-of-a-small-kansas-newspaper-has-been-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press that he had suspended Chief Gideon Cody on Thursday, who led the August 11 raids on parties involved with the Marion County Record, a family-owned weekly newspaper serving a community about 60 miles north of Wichita.</p>
<p>&#8220;I did indeed suspend chief Cody and I won&#8217;t discuss any details regarding his suspension as it is a personnel matter,&#8221; Mayfield <a href="https://www.komu.com/news/marion-police-chief-suspended-after-raid-of-marion-county-record-newspaper-in-kansas/article_f4d33a18-cb4c-5b06-9d6c-c46d64251a66.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an email to CNN.</p>
<p>Mayfield&#8217;s decision reportedly comes after previously saying he would take action after reviewing the findings of a state police investigation.</p>
<p>Vice-Mayor Ruth Herbel said suspending Cody is &#8220;the best thing that can happen to Marion right now,&#8221; according to The Associated Press.</p>
<p>&#8220;We can&#8217;t duck our heads until it goes away, because it&#8217;s not going to go away until we do something about it,&#8221; Herbel said, whose home was also searched in the raid.</p>
<p>The Marion County Record was named in a search warrant signed by Marion County Court Magistrate Judge Laura Viar in August which alleged violations of identity theft and &#8220;unlawful acts concerning computers.&#8221;</p>
<p>Authorities searched the home of Eric Meyer, co-owner and publisher of the paper founded more than 150 years ago, and the Marion County Record&#8217;s newsroom after reporters dug into allegations that the police department had turned a blind eye to a local sweet shop owner driving with a suspended license after a DUI.</p>
<p>Four Marion police officers and three sheriff&#8217;s deputies reportedly seized personal cell phones, computers, and other materials at Meyer&#8217;s home and the Marion County Record office, including some unrelated equipment needed to publish.</p>
<p>The police department said it believed a reporter might have committed identity theft in pulling records on the local sweets shop owner, but both the newspaper and the reporter said they only accessed publicly available records.</p>
<p>Authorities also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/video-98-year-old-kansas-newspaper-owner-tells-police-get-out-of-my-house-during-raid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">searched</a> the home of Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old mother of Eric and co-owner of the Marion County Record.</p>
<p><b data-stringify-type="bold"><a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-8067">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a></b></p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD-wJ19eVvE&amp;t=93s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minute-and-a-half clip</a> shows police raiding her house on August 11, where Meyer can be heard shouting at the cops while wearing her robe and slippers and using her walker. She died less than 24 hours later after she collapsed from hours of &#8220;<a href="http://marionrecord.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shock and grief,</a>&#8221; according to the Record.</p>
<p>Her son said he believes the stress and anger she experienced due to the police raid contributed to her death.</p>
<p>The police department reportedly posted on August 12 on Facebook, &#8220;As much as I would like to give everyone details on a criminal investigation I cannot. I believe when the rest of the story is available to the public, the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicated.&#8221;</p>
<p>Legal experts reportedly believe the search from law enforcement violated a federal privacy law that protects journalists from having their newsrooms searched or a state law protecting journalists from disclosing sources or turning over unpublished material to authorities.</p>
<p>Cody <a href="https://apnews.com/article/newspaper-raid-kansas-affidavit-07d9c856894892bff13cb014248ec866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> defended the raid in a Facebook post, saying the federal law makes an exception specifically for &#8220;when there is reason to believe the journalist is taking part in the underlying wrongdoing.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Mairead Elordi contributed to this report.</em></p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

Police Chief Who Led Raid On Small Kansas Newspaper Suspended: Reports

CONTINUE READING

New Mexico Lawsuit Accuses Meta Platforms Of Enabling Child Sexual Abuse Material, Human Trafficking

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Accused Of Sex Trafficking, Raping Teenage Girl In Fourth Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Mayorkas Confirms FBI Warning, Says Blinking Red Lights Everywhere On Terror Threats

California Retailers Without ‘Gender Neutral’ Section For Kids Face Fines Up To $500 Under New State Law

WATCH: Top University Presidents Balk When Asked If Genocidal Chants Against Jews Violate Codes Of Conduct

Catholic Leaders Slam FBI Over ‘Illegitimate Targeting” Of Catholics As Bureau Defends Its Investigation

News

First Amendment

Freedom of the Press

Kansas

Media

Newspaper

Police

U.S.

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News —

Police Chief Who Led Raid On Small Kansas Newspaper Suspended: Reports