Kansas Town Settles Lawsuit Over Newspaper Raid

In a resolution to a widely-publicized lawsuit, a small town in Kansas has settled for $850,000 with a former reporter from its weekly newspaper. The settlement ends federal litigation over a controversial police raid that took place in 2023 at the newspaper’s offices. This incident spurred national debate about press freedom.

The ex-reporter, Phyllis Zorn, had alleged in her lawsuit that the raid infringed upon press freedoms and protections against unreasonable searches, as enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. She also stated that the raid triggered severe health issues, specifically a return of previously controlled seizures.

Zorn’s attorney, Randy Rathbun, along with Marion city attorney Jennifer Hill, announced on the raid’s third anniversary that the lawsuit had been dismissed. This was one of several lawsuits against local officials related to the raids on the newspaper’s offices, the residence of Publisher Eric Meyer, and a home linked to a former City Council member.

Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody launched the raid, citing an investigation into alleged identity theft by the newspaper. Authorities later found the raids unjustifiable. The events prompted investigations into Cody’s past, with critics labeling the raids as retaliations for critical reporting by the newspaper.

Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old co-owner of the Marion County Record and mother of the publisher, died shortly after the raid, which her son attributed to stress caused by the incident.

In November, Marion County resolved lawsuits by agreeing to settle claims totaling over $3 million, which included $600,000 allocated to Zorn. While some claims have been settled, others linger, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for mid-October.

Additionally, an investigation into Cody’s conduct led to a felony obstruction charge by two special prosecutors. He is accused of dissuading a witness from cooperating with the investigation. Cody pleaded not guilty; however, his trial has been postponed.