New details regarding last week’s police raid on the Marion County Record indicate that the newspaper was in the middle of an investigation into the Marion Police Chief, Gideon Cody, over sexual misconduct allegations from his previous role.
Last Friday’s raid on the Marion County Record shocked the nation and ignited concerns about freedom of the press. Led by Cody himself, officers from the Marion Police Department stormed the Marion County Record’s offices and confiscated computers, servers and other electronic devices.
The police also raided the residence of the newspaper’s editor and publisher, Eric Meyer, and his elderly mother, Joan Meyer. Tragically, Joan Meyer passed away a day after the raid, with her son attributing her death to “shock and grief” from the intrusive event, according to the New York Post.
While the police raid has drawn criticism from First Amendment advocates, further revelations have added to the controversy. Eric Meyer informed The Handbasket that the newspaper had been contacted by Cody’s former colleagues about claims of sexual misconduct.
The evidence and identities of those who came forward with these allegations were reportedly on one of the computers seized during the raid.
Meyer expressed his concerns, stating, “I may be paranoid that this has anything to do with it, but when people come and seize your computer, you tend to be a little paranoid.”
The Kansas City Police Department, where Cody previously served, declined to provide details on whether Cody was previously investigated.
On the other hand, the official warrant for the police raid was tied to allegations of “identity theft” by the newspaper’s reporters. The identity theft claims stem from local restaurateur Kari Newell, who accused the paper of obtaining records about her past DUI offense.
Meyer emphasized Marion County Record’s commitment to the truth, stating, “We didn’t publish it because we couldn’t nail it down to the point that we thought it was ready for publication.”
Brian Karman, a longtime colleague of Cody, expressed surprise at the allegations against the police chief, noting, “I’ve known him for 20 years. I’ve never heard of anything remotely involving those type of allegations.”
The Marion Kansas Police Department, meanwhile, released a statement, saying, “The Marion Kansas Police Department believes it is the fundamental duty of the police is to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of all members of the public. This commitment must remain steadfast and unbiased, unaffected by political or media influences, in order to uphold the principles of justice, equal protection, and the rule of law for everyone in the community.”
This news article was partially created with the assistance of artificial intelligence and edited and fact-checked by a human editor.
