A small Kansas town has settled a federal lawsuit by agreeing to pay $850,000 to a former reporter from its weekly newspaper. The lawsuit stemmed from a 2023 police raid on the paper’s offices which sparked a national debate about press freedom.
Phyllis Zorn, the now-retired reporter from Marion County Record, claimed in her lawsuit that the raid violated press freedoms and protections against unreasonable searches, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. She also reported health issues triggered by the raid, including the return of seizures controlled by medication for years.
Attorneys Randy Rathbun and Jennifer Hill issued a joint statement on Tuesday, marking three years since the raid, dismissing Zorn’s lawsuit. This was among the suits filed in federal court against local officials following the raids on the newspaper’s offices, the home of Publisher Eric Meyer, and a former City Council member’s residence.
During the investigation, Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody examined alleged crimes by the newspaper, including identity theft by accessing a restaurant owner’s state driving record. However, authorities found the raids unjustified legally. Many believed the raids retaliated against the paper’s investigative coverage on Cody’s past.
Marion gained national attention, spotlighting its population of about 1,900 residents, located 150 miles southwest of Kansas City. Cody resigned after the raid. Eric Meyer’s mother, co-owner of the paper, passed away soon after, with Meyer attributing her death to stress caused by the raid.
Marion County agreed in November to settle around $3 million in several lawsuits, including $600,000 to Zorn, to resolve claims against its officials. Despite some legal settlements and dismissals, unresolved claims persist, with a pretrial Zoom hearing scheduled for October 15.
An investigation into Cody’s actions led to a felony obstruction of justice charge, focusing on his attempt to persuade a witness to withhold information. Cody pleaded not guilty, and his trial set for the end of October has been postponed.
Cody’s legal woes continue as questions about his conduct remain under scrutiny.