Marion, Kansas, a town of approximately 1,900 residents, has reached a settlement with Phyllis Zorn, a retired reporter formerly employed at the Marion County Record, to resolve her federal lawsuit challenging a police raid conducted on the newspaper’s offices in 2023. According to Zorn’s legal filings, the raid violated constitutional protections for press freedom and unreasonable searches. Zorn also claimed the incident triggered serious health complications, including the recurrence of potentially life-threatening seizures that had previously been controlled through medication.
The raid was initiated by Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody, who stated he was investigating whether the newspaper had committed identity theft or other crimes in obtaining a local restaurant owner’s state driving record. However, authorities who examined the raids determined they were not legally justified. The raids extended beyond the newspaper’s offices to include the residence of Publisher Eric Meyer and the home of a former city council member. Meyer and others associated with the publication characterized the actions as retaliation for the newspaper’s investigative reporting and efforts to examine Cody’s law enforcement background. The chief subsequently resigned following the incident.
The settlement represents one component of broader litigation arising from the 2023 raids. Marion County previously agreed in November to pay more than $3 million collectively to settle claims across five lawsuits, with $600,000 of that amount designated for Zorn. Additional legal claims against municipal and individual officials remain pending, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for October 15. Meyer’s 98-year-old mother, who co-owned the newspaper and resided with him, died the day after the raid on their home; Meyer has attributed her death to stress resulting from the police action.
Separate criminal proceedings have also emerged from the incident. Two special prosecutors filed felony obstruction of justice charges against Cody in state district court, alleging he persuaded the restaurant owner to withhold information from authorities. Cody entered a not guilty plea, and his trial, originally scheduled for late this month, has been postponed.
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