The city of Marion’s five-officer police force, along with two sheriff’s deputies, conducted a shocking raid on Friday on the Marion County Record and its elderly co-owner, Joan Meyer.
Tragically, the 98-year-old woman passed away in the aftermath of this unprecedented attack.
Eric Meyer, Joan’s son and the paper’s publisher, has described it as an assault on freedom of the press.
Joan Meyer, newswoman since 1953 (Source: Kansas.com)
The Marion County Record and a local restaurant owner, Kari Newell, have been embroiled in a contentious dispute following the newspaper’s acquisition of sensitive documents that could lead to the revocation of Newell’s liquor license.
These documents were said to include evidence of drunk driving convictions and operating a vehicle without a license.
Despite choosing not to publish this information, the paper informed law enforcement officials due to suspicions that it had been leaked by someone close to Newell’s ex-husband.
Following this disclosure, police conducted a raid on the premises.
Newell publicly accused the Record of illegally obtaining and disseminating information, prompting them to publish a clarifying story. However, this was followed closely by the police raid on Friday morning.
Reports state that officers were authorized to seize computers, digital communications, cellular networks, servers, hard drives, utility records, and documents related to Newell as part of their search warrant investigation into potential identity theft.
During the raid at the Meyers’ home, police not only confiscated computers and internet routers but also searched through Eric Meyer’s personal bank and investment statements.
Joan Meyer reportedly watched helplessly as officers conducted their search – leaving her so distraught that she had difficulty eating or sleeping until her death shortly afterward.
Despite the outcry and the tragic death of Joan Meyer, the Marion Kansas Police Department has defended their actions.
They claim that federal protections did not extend to the journalists, as they were suspected of criminal activity.
Furthermore, one of the newspaper’s reporters was injured when an officer grabbed her cellphone out of her hand.
In a statement per New York Post, the department emphasized its commitment to ensuring justice, stating, “The victim [Newell] asks that we do all the law allows to ensure justice is served. The Marion Kansas Police Department will [do] nothing less.”
More from Marion Record:
A two-page warrant signed by Magistrate Laura Viar was given to the Record at the time of the search.
Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel’s home also was raided at the same time.
The warrants alleged there was probable cause to believe that identity theft and unlawful computer acts had been committed involving Marion business owner Kari Newell.
A Record reporter later requested a copy of the probable cause affidavit necessary for issuance of the search warrant
District court, where such items are supposed to be filed, issued a signed statement saying no affidavit was on file.
County attorney Joel Ensey, whose brother owns the hotel where Newell operates her restaurant, was asked for it but said he would not release it because it was “not a public document.”
Eric Meyer, 69, the Record’s owner and publisher, has vowed to seek legal retribution against the City of Marion and those involved in the raid. Legal experts consulted by the paper reportedly agree that the city violated federal laws and the team’s Constitutional rights.
Legal experts contacted by the Record termed the raid unheard of in America and reminiscent of what occurs in totalitarian regimes and the Third World.
The Record is expected to file a federal suit against the City of Marion and those involved in the search, which legal experts contacted were unanimous in saying violated multiple state and federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution, and multiple court rulings.
“Our first priority is to be able to publish next week,” Meyer said, “but we also want to make sure no other news organization is ever exposed to the Gestapo tactics we witnessed today. We will be seeking the maximum sanctions possible under law.”
11 Responses
These “raids” are all too common and UNNECESSARY! One or two law officers are all that is needed not a SWAT team. Shades of King George Redcoats. Then on top of that people getting KILLED. So you sue, but that won’t bring back the dead. We’re turning into Nazimerica.
These were brutal thugs and behaved no better than “Banana Republic Dictator’s Hit Men,” and her death is on their souls; so wait till God judges you mean SOB’s!
Over the top Gestapo Tactics and was absolutely uncalled for in such a vulgar manner! Requests could have been made though the court and done civilly, and these thugs will get their just punishment by God!
And we now have total jackasses in positions of authority that want to allow illegal aliens to be hired as police officers with arresting authority in various locales around the US! What could possible go wrong you ask? They have no right to be hired as cops or anything for that matter! They broke Federal Laws illegally crossing our borders; a FELONY and could be seen as invasion which is an enemy attack! I think perhaps the Democrats want to make a secret DACA Police Force, or something akin to the Stasi’s function in East Germany which resembled the KGB in the Soviet Union!
Joan Meyer; may your soul rest in eternal peace with God.
JOE BIDEN’S COMMUNIST AMERICA
Matt; correct, he, the progressives and liberals are getting what they’ve pushed for years! All they can do to help our commie enemies!
STAND UP, SPEAK UP and STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT, unless you want this communist agenda to continue! Contact ALL you Congressional Representatives and DEMAND they DO what they were “hired to do”. They ARE supposed to represent US and NOT the dictators of our US Banana Republic. Speaker McCarthy and Congress already have ALL the evidence they need to SUCCESSFULLY IMPEACH Beijingjoe and his entire CCP administration, so tell McCarthy (and the rest) to STOP TALKING and begin the process to CLEAN THIS MESS UP.
By the way, Congress also has the power to REVOKE HOME RULE and take back control of the city of DC; they should do that IMMEDIATELY and then REMOVE BOWSER and the entire metro administration. IT IS CONGRESS OWN JOB to govern the District, so GET TO IT.
Look folks this total load of BS excrement that our nation is being buried under has been building for several decades and the “Commie Liberal Marxist Hard Left Freaks” have consolidated their influences to “tear America a new one” wiping out the Constitution along with God or any sense of genuine Morality! A new Sodom and Gomorrah sheet-hole!
America’s standards are in the toilet now! Circling the big bowl as the big flush is happening!
Now it’s obviously worth mentioning the “King Ingrate Traitor Imposter President Obama,” because far too many derelict leftist loons that are in positions of authority are “his kind of people,” as Obama is absolutely a “switch hitter” and “huge Liar!” 8 years of him in the driver’s seat with Biden as his “backdoor man” was what the “Commie Liberal Marxist Hard Left Freaks” needed to get America where it is now; slipping off the precipice and into the dark abyss!
Pray fervently and mean it!
I do hope that this is not the beginning of the end for Freedom of Speech as well as Freedomof the Press. We have seen way too much of both being impinged during the last 2 to 3 Democratically lead administrations. When you shake the bushes I do believe that the source of all this goes back to those who ignore the Constitution when its not convenient for them and use it when it is, such as people like George Soros and his family who spread money around to create discourse. I further believe that the sooner we realize Soros and his family have been the root of our problems, realize that their actions are subverting the Constitution and Bill of Rights, which is a clear violation of the the oath they took when they immigrated to the USA, the sooner we should be taking action. That action is simple, revoke their citizenship and force them out of and prevent any to return for any reason. Further all of his businesses and bank accounts should be confisgated and investigated for terrorism sponsorship. If found the businesses should be legally ceased. Based on what I have read and heard the Soros are the family who sponsor the illegal immigration and pay to bring the milliions of undocumented people to our border, fund socialsts actions in our legal system, and have poisoned our Congress with liberal socialists. It is time for them to go. This family is poison no matter where he goes.
This only proves how thoroughly corrupt law enforcement is in this country. These police thugs knew that what they were doing was wrong, illegal and abusive, but they did it anyway because they were told to do so by the people who sign their paychecks. This means that whenever the Left decides to infringe on our rights, and the time comes to defend those rights, you can expect most of our LEOs to be on the other side, pointing guns at US. This won’t end until one or both of two things happen: 1) people shoot back, kill rogue cops and are acquitted by juries of their peers, and/or, 2) qualified immunity is eliminated, and cops begin losing their homes and their freedoms.
Censorship raid
Love to see same for NY , LA Times, WaPo
Be careful what you cheat for, you just might elect it. Sooner or later it will come and bite you on the arse. Biden it will be to late…
Already in a world of hurt and it’s getting worse daily!