Deb Gruver, a former Marion County Record reporter, has agreed to accept $235,000 as a settlement for a lawsuit that stemmed from a police raid that sparked national outrage from a small community in Kansas. 

The Controversial Raid in Marion

Spearheaded by former Police Chief Gideon Cody on August 11, 2023, the raid targeted the newspaper's office, publisher Eric Meyer's residence, and the residence of a former city council member. Marion is a town of approximately 1,900 residents nestled in rolling prairie hills about 150 miles southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. It is home to the Record, which was known for its bold coverage of local government affairs.

Cody claimed to possess evidence suggesting that the newspaper, reporter Phyllis Zorn, and the city council member engaged in identity theft or other computer-related crimes to access a local business owner's driving records. However, all individuals denied wrongdoing, and no charges were ultimately filed.

The lawsuit asserts that the newspaper and its journalists committed no illegal acts, alleging that the search warrants were invalid and motivated by officials' long-standing grievances against the publication.

Legal experts also argue that the police raid on the newspaper likely violated either a federal privacy law or a state lawdesigned to protect journalists from being compelled to disclose sources or surrender unpublished material to law enforcement, the AP News reported.

The Settlement Freeing Police Chief Cody

The settlement only resolved the claims against the former police chief in Marion but not with the Marion County sheriff and the county's prosecutor. Gruver's lawsuit is one of five federal lawsuits filed against the city, the county, and eight current or former elected officials or law enforcement officers related to the raid.

Gruver's attorney did not respond to emails seeking comment on Friday. An attorney representing the city, its insurance company, the former chief, and others declined to comment but released a copy of the June 25 settlement agreement after the Record filed an open records request and provided a copy to The Associated Press.

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The lawsuit, which was filed by the parent company of the Marion County Record and Eric Meyer, its editor, and publisher, alleges the city of Marion, the Marion County Commission, and five current and former local officials of violating their rights to a free press and protection from unreasonable searches under the US Constitution. The lawsuit also informs the defendants that Meyer and the newspaper intend to add additional claims, including allegations that officials were responsible for Meyer's mother's death after the raids. 

Footage captures the 98-year-old mother of Meyer confronting police officers during a raid on her home, where she can be heard demanding, "Leave my house!" has sparked national scrutiny.

The raids on the newspaper and the homes of the Meyers and a City Council member took place on August 11, while Joan Meyer passed away the following day, which her son believed to be due to the extreme stress she suffered from the raid.

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