Marion County, Kansas, has agreed to pay more than $3 million to a local newspaper in connection with a controversial law enforcement raid carried out in 2023. Along with the settlement, county officials have issued a formal apology for their role in the incident.
The raid—conducted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Marion City Police Department—targeted the Marion Record newsroom, the home of its editor and publisher Eric Meyer, and the residence of a local city council member. The action sparked national outrage and allegations of free speech violations.
In the months leading up to the raid, the newspaper had published investigative stories critical of the city’s police chief. Law enforcement alleged the paper had improperly accessed personal information about a local restaurant owner, but Meyer and press freedom advocates argued the raid was retribution for the newspaper’s reporting. Prosecutors later concluded there was insufficient evidence to justify the warrants.
Just one day after the raid, Meyer’s elderly mother, who lived inside the home, died of a heart attack. Meyer believes the stress from the raid contributed to her death.
“The Sheriff’s Office wishes to express its sincere regrets to Eric and Joan Meyer and Ruth and Ronald Herbel for its participation in the drafting and execution of the Marion County Police Department’s search warrants on their homes and the Marion County Record,” the department said in a statement.
The county’s multimillion-dollar settlement has been hailed as a major victory for press freedom and local journalism. Separate legal claims against the city’s police department are pending and could result in additional compensation.