Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case

Ex-Marion County Police Chief Gideon Cody will face criminal charges after an independent probe revealed evidence of obstruction of the legal process in connection with a botched raid on a local newspaper and its 98-year-old co-owner.

The saga surrounding the controversial raid on a Kansas newspaper and the home of its elderly co-owner took a significant turn on Monday, as plans emerged to charge the former police chief involved in the incident with criminal offenses.

An independent investigation concluded that Gideon Cody, the ex-chief of the Marion County Police Department, interfered with the judicial process by improperly obtaining search warrants used in the raids. The investigation was prompted by the death of 98-year-old Joan Meyer, co-owner of the Marion County Record, a day after the raid on her residence. Meyer had confronted officers at her doorstep, demanding they leave.

Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case

Prosecutors subsequently withdrew the warrants, citing insufficient evidence presented by Cody.

Special prosecutors Marc Bennett and Barry Wilkerson found that neither the newspaper nor its journalists had committed any crimes prior to the raid. However, the investigation revealed that the raid contributed to Meyer's death, although no criminal culpability was assigned to the officers who conducted it.

Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case

Bernie Rhodes, attorney for the newspaper, expressed satisfaction with the independent review and the pending charges against Cody. "Journalism is not a crime," Rhodes said. "Gideon Cody should suffer the consequences for his decisions."

Marion County Record Publisher Eric Meyer, Joan Meyer's son, has blamed his mother's death on the stress caused by the raids. The newspaper has filed a lawsuit against the city, Cody, the mayor, and the county sheriff, alleging First Amendment violations.

Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case

The raids stemmed from allegations that the newspaper had illegally accessed a computer to obtain information about a candy shop owner's suspended license. However, the paper had not published a story on the matter due to a potential conflict of interest. Following the raids, the newspaper revealed that its tipster had also alleged that police were aware of the woman's suspended license but had allowed her to drive unimpeded.

The Marion County Record was founded in 1874 and has been a staple of the community for generations. After Meyer and her husband purchased the paper in 1998 to prevent its acquisition by a corporate chain, Bill Meyer worked at the paper until his death in 2006.

Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case

Separately, a state panel cleared the magistrate judge who initially signed the search warrants.

The charges against Cody and the ongoing legal proceedings underscore the importance of freedom of the press and the need for transparent and fair law enforcement practices. The outcome of the case is expected to have broader implications for the protection of journalistic rights and the balance between public safety and civil liberties.

Former Kansas Police Chief Charged for Interfering in Newspaper Raid Case