Special prosecutors in Kansas have announced their intention to charge a former police chief with obstruction of justice in connection with a raid on a local newspaper. The prosecutors found that the staff of the Marion County Record did not commit any crimes before the raid took place.
The incident in question involved former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody leading a raid on the newspaper’s offices and the home of its publisher, Eric Meyer. The prosecutors stated that the warrants used to justify the searches contained inaccurate information and were not legally justified. Body camera footage from the raid showed Meyer’s 98-year-old mother, Joan Meyer, becoming visibly upset and later passing away from a heart attack.
While the prosecutors did not find evidence that officers believed they were endangering Joan Meyer’s life, they allege that Cody obstructed the judicial process in the aftermath of the raid. Cody resigned from his position as police chief in October, and the specific charges he will face have yet to be determined.
The prosecutors, Marc Bennett and Barry Wilkerson, criticized the inadequate investigation that led to the search warrants being issued. They were appointed to the case after the Marion County prosecutor, who had questions surrounding the warrants, recused himself. The raid sparked a larger conversation about press freedom in Marion, a small town in Kansas.
Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation believes that Cody should face additional charges beyond obstruction of justice, citing the questionable nature of the raid itself. Eric Meyer expressed relief that the newspaper staff were found to have committed no crimes but questioned why it took a year for prosecutors to reach this conclusion.
Meyer also expressed frustration that Cody appears to be the sole individual facing criminal prosecution in connection with the incident. The newspaper’s parent company, Meyer, and several current or former staffers have filed federal lawsuits against the city of Marion and various local officials, including Cody.
Efforts to reach Cody for comment on the potential charges were unsuccessful, and it remains unclear who will represent him in the case. The search warrants for the raid accused Meyer and a reporter of identity theft and computer crimes, allegations that the prosecutors found to be based on incorrect assumptions.
Text messages between Cody and the business owner involved in the case are expected to be included in the criminal complaint. The business owner has stated that Cody asked her to delete messages between them, concerned about the perception of their relationship.