The executive of a Kansas police division that not too long ago raided a neighborhood newspaper alleged {that a} reporter lied or misrepresented herself when having access to paperwork, consistent with courtroom data.
The Marion County File raid, which drew nationwide consideration, was once led by way of Marion Police Leader Gideon Cody on Aug. 11. Cody alleged {that a} reporter lied about her intentions or impersonated somebody else when she was once amassing the riding data of native eating place proprietor Kari Newell.
Newell up to now argued that the paper violated her privateness and dedicated a criminal offense by way of amassing the details about her, however the newspaper has maintained their strategies have been prison.
Reporter Phyllis Zorn had accessed a public website online when amassing details about Newell. Zorn had used Newell’s title within the seek, and police stated it was once identification robbery to take action. A supply had additionally given the paper Newell’s date of start and license quantity unsolicited.
KANSAS PROSECUTOR WITHDRAWS SEARCH WARRANTS USED IN CONTROVERSIAL NEWSPAPER RAID AFTER OWNER’S DEATH
Surveillance video displays Marion Police Division confiscating computer systems and mobile phones from the writer and group of workers of the Marion County File, Aug. 11, 2023, in Marion, Kansas. (Marion County File by means of AP)
“Downloading the record concerned both impersonating the sufferer or mendacity concerning the the reason why the report was once being sought,” Cody stated.
The raid brought about outrage and sparked a debate about press freedoms because the newspaper’s workers have been hindered from doing their task and have been compelled to paintings in a single day to print the next day to come’s paper. All over the raid, government took the newspaper’s computer systems and a router plus the private mobile phones of workers.
With 4 other folks at the group of workers, the workers rewrote tales and reproduced commercials from scratch. The front-page headline of the next day to come’s paper learn: “SEIZED … however now not silenced.”
LAST WORDS FROM MATRIARCH OF SMALL-TOWN PAPER WHO DIED AFTER DUBIOUS POLICE RAID: ‘HITLER TACTICS’
A stack of the newest weekly version of the Marion County File sits behind the newspaper’s construction, Aug. 16, 2023, in Marion, Kansas. The paper’s entrance web page was once devoted to 2 tales a couple of raid by way of native police on its places of work and the writer’s house. (AP Photograph / John Hanna)
All of the seized pieces have been passed again to the newspaper Wednesday after Marion County Legal professional Joel Ensey made up our minds there was once too little proof to justify the raid.
“In consequence, I’ve submitted a proposed order asking the courtroom to free up the proof seized. I’ve requested native legislation enforcement to go back the fabric seized to the house owners of the valuables,” Ensey stated.
Marion County File Editor and Writer Eric Meyer instructed the Related Press that no regulations have been damaged.
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The places of work of the Marion County File in Marion, Kansas. (AP Photograph / John Hanna)
“You can not let bullies win,” Meyer up to now stated. “We’ve a group of workers that’s very skilled, together with myself, and we’re now not going to take crap.”
The Related Press contributed to this record.
