Former Kansas Police chief Gideon Cody, who allegedly orchestrated a raid on the Marion County Record newspaper, will be charged with interfering with the judicial process, prosecutors announced Monday.
The charges are set to be filed in Marion County District Court, following an extensive review led by Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett and Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson. The raid, which occurred Aug. 11, has generated attention and controversy.
Former Kansas police chief to face criminal charge after newspaper raid, prosecutors say https://t.co/7osRHPZJa4
— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) August 5, 2024
A detailed 124-page report dissected the execution of the search warrants and the subsequent events. The report does not detail how Cody obstructed justice, but it does include the charge under the heading, “Did Chief Cody Commit Any Crime With Regard to His Interaction With Kari Newell, After the Execution of the Warrants on August 11, 2023?”
The focus of the anticipated charges relates to text messages exchanged between Cody and Kari Newell, a local business owner, after the raid. The operation targeted the home of newspaper publishers Joan Meyer, 98, and her son Eric Meyer. Joan passed away the day following the raid, an event the report noted she was extremely upset by. The public version of the report lacks the legal analysis on this matter. However, it states that the findings will be used to support charges in the Marion County District Court.
The Marion City Council in Kansas voted 3-2 to take NO ACTION regarding a suspension for Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody after his fascist officers illegally raided the home of Joan Meyer, 98, who passed away less than a day later as a result of the stresspic.twitter.com/OfSenrluwt
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) September 19, 2023
The prosecutors stated that the officers involved were not criminally responsible for her death. The initial warrant for the raid was withdrawn a week later by a local prosecutor who cited “insufficient evidence” to continue, according to Kansas City Star. Following his resignation from the Marion Police Department in the weeks after the raid, Cody has not publicly responded to requests for comment. (RELATED: Grand Jury Indicts Uvalde Police Officers For Failing To Stop Infamous School Shooting)
The raid has since triggered several lawsuits, Kansas City Star reported. Eric told the outlet that it was too early for him to fully respond as he was still reviewing the detailed report.
