Key facts
- The town of Marion, Kansas, will pay $850,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by former reporter Phyllis Zorn.
- Zorn sued over a 2023 police raid on the Marion County Record newspaper's offices.
- The lawsuit alleged the raid violated press freedoms and constitutional protections against unreasonable searches.
- Zorn also claimed the raid led to health problems, including the return of seizures.
- The settlement was announced on the third anniversary of the raid.
- The police chief, Gideon Cody, was investigated for potentially obstructing justice in relation to the raid.
A small Kansas town has agreed to pay $850,000 to a former reporter to settle a federal lawsuit stemming from a 2023 police raid on her newspaper's offices. The raid, which drew national attention and criticism regarding press freedom, allegedly caused health problems for reporter Phyllis Zorn and was viewed by some as retaliation for the paper's investigative reporting.
Zorn's lawsuit claimed the raid violated press freedoms and constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. She also stated that the event exacerbated health issues, leading to the return of seizures that had been previously controlled. The settlement was announced by Zorn's attorney, Randy Rathbun, and an attorney for the city of Marion, Jennifer Hill, on the third anniversary of the raid.
This settlement is part of broader legal actions related to the raids, which also targeted the home of Publisher Eric Meyer and a former city council member. Marion County had previously agreed to pay over $3 million in November to settle claims against its officials, including $600,000 to Zorn. While some claims have been settled or dismissed, others remain pending, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for October 15.
Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody had stated he was investigating potential identity theft or other crimes related to the paper's access of a restaurant owner's driving record. However, authorities examining the raids found them to be legally unjustified. Cody himself faced a felony obstruction of justice charge for allegedly persuading a witness to withhold information, to which he pleaded not guilty. His trial has been postponed.