Former Kansas Police Chief Gideon Cody will face criminal charges after an independent investigation found he interfered with the legal process during a raid on a Marion County newspaper. The raid, which targeted the Marion County Record, its journalists, and 98-year-old co-owner Joan Meyer, led to Meyer’s death the day after police arrived with an improperly obtained search warrant.
Meyer, who had been captured on home security video demanding the officers to leave, died shortly after the raid. Prosecutors later withdrew the warrants, saying Cody had not provided enough evidence for them.
Attorney Bernie Rhodes, representing the newspaper, expressed relief that the special prosecutors recognized Cody’s actions as unlawful. Rhodes stated, “It’s not surprising that fair-minded law enforcement officials would conclude that journalism is not a crime, but destroying evidence is.”
WATCH: Video shows Kansas 98-year-old scold officers raiding her home before warrants were withdrawn
(From Foxnews)
Special prosecutors, including Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett and Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson, announced plans to charge Cody with interfering in the judicial process. Their investigation confirmed that neither the newspaper nor its journalists had committed any crimes.
The 124-page report indicated that the raid likely contributed to Meyer’s death, but the officers involved were not deemed criminally responsible. The Marion County Record is also suing the city and other officials over alleged First Amendment violations.
One year ago, the raids occurred as the newspaper investigated allegations about a local candy shop owner, Kari Newell, who was accused of driving with a suspended license. The newspaper was later accused of identity theft and unauthorized computer access, leading to the seizure of equipment.
Joan Meyer had described the police actions as “Hitler tactics” before her death. The Marion County Record, founded in 1874, was bought by Meyer and her late husband in 1998 to prevent its takeover by a corporate chain.
In a separate development, a state panel has cleared the magistrate judge who originally signed the search warrants.