A Kansas county has apologized and agreed to pay over $3 million to a small town newspaper for a 2023 raid that sparked national outcry over press freedoms.
The Marion County Sheriff and Board of County Commissioners agreed to the judgment to settle claims against them in a lawsuit filed by the newspaper, the Marion County Record, according to court documents filed on Nov. 11.
The paper's publisher, Eric Meyer, has also sued the city of Marion, its former mayor, police chief and another officer, but those claims are not part of the judgment and remain unresolved.
On Aug. 11, 2023, law enforcement officers raided the newspaper's office and two private residences, including the home of Meyer and his mother, Joan Meyer, who was also a co-owner of the publication. Joan Meyer died of a heart attack the day after the raid, and her son said stress from the raid contributed to her death.
“This is a first step — but a big step — in making sure that Joan Meyer’s death served a purpose in making sure that the next crazed cop who thinks they can raid a newsroom understands the consequences are measured in millions of dollars," said Bernie Rhodes, the Record's attorney, in a statement shared by the paper.
