Gideon Cody, the previous police chief behind the raid of a small Kansas newspaper that led to the demise of the 98-year-old co-owner has been charged with a felony.
Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old co-owner of the Marion County Report -a weekly newspaper printed in Marion, Kansas- tragically handed away after an unprecedented police raid on her house and the newspaper workplace final August.
The town of Marion’s five-officer police drive, together with two sheriff’s deputies, carried out the raid on the Marion County Report’s workplace and the house of proprietor and writer Eric Meyer. The stunning operation left Joan Meyer, Eric’s mom, and co-owner of the paper, useless, and has been characterised by Meyer as an assault on press freedom.
Joan Meyer, newswoman since 1953 (Supply: Kansas.com)
The raid got here on the heels of a bitter feud between the Marion County Report and a neighborhood restaurant proprietor, Kari Newell. The newspaper had reportedly acquired delicate paperwork doubtlessly resulting in the revocation of Newell’s liquor license. These paperwork included proof of drunk driving convictions and working a car with out a license.
The search warrant licensed the seizure of pc {hardware} and software program, digital communications, mobile networks, servers, onerous drives, utility data, and paperwork associated to Newell. Particularly, the warrant targeted on the possession of computer systems that might be concerned within the alleged “identification theft of Kari Newell.”
Through the raid, police not solely seized computer systems and web routers from the Meyers’ house but additionally dug via Eric Meyer’s private financial institution and funding statements. Joan Meyer, ready for a Meals on Wheels supply on the time, reportedly watched tearfully because the police carried out their search. The distressing occasion left her unable to eat or sleep, contributing to her demise, in accordance with the newspaper.
Gideon Cody was charged with one felony depend of interfering with the judicial course of final week.
The Kansas Metropolis Star reported:
The previous police chief who led a raid on a Kansas newspaper has been charged with a felony.
Gideon Cody faces one depend of interference with the judicial course of, a felony with a attainable punishment of seven to 23 months in jail.
The case stems from Cody’s actions following the Aug. 11, 2023, raid on the Marion County Report when he allegedly informed native businesswoman Kari Newell to delete texts between them.
The cost was introduced earlier final week when particular prosecutors who reviewed the case launched a 124-page report detailing their findings. Prosecutors formally filed the case on Monday in Marion County District Courtroom.
The felony grievance towards Cody lists the date of the crime as between Aug. 11 and Aug. 17. A bunch of legislation enforcement officers, journalists and native figures are listed as witnesses. Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi can also be listed as a witness.