According to information from the Marion County Record’s office, its reporters’ homes, and the publisher’s residence, local police authorities in Marion, Kansas, took laptops, cell phones, and other items.
The search might have gone against federal rights for journalists
In a report from Mother Jones, the raid was the result of information on a nearby restaurant owner being leaked to the paper, according to Eric Meyer, publisher and owner of the Record. Meyer claimed that it was intended to serve as a warning to reporters to keep their mouths shut or risk being trampled.
Meyer claimed that the two sheriff’s deputies and all five of the city police officers seized everything they had. The Reflector claims that the search might have gone against federal rights for journalists.
The search warrant, which was authorized by Marion County District Court Magistrate Judge Laura Viar, appears to be against federal law, which protects against examining journalists’ homes and collecting their belongings. The legislation requires that subpoenas be used by law enforcement to obtain evidence. A request for comment from this article’s author, Viar, never arrived. She also didn’t explain why she would consent to a potential criminal raid.
The newspaper revealed last week that Kari Newell, the owner of a nearby restaurant, had asked reporters to leave a meeting with Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-Kansas). The Reflector portrayed Newell’s response as angry comments that she posted on her Facebook page.
From there, a convoluted narrative started when a confidential source revealed to the newspaper that Newell had been found guilty of DUI but was still driving without a license. After coming to the conclusion that those specifics may have been provided by Newell’s spouse, who had filed for divorce, she made the decision to refrain from publishing them.
DNYUZ reported that Meyer alerted the police to the leak, and they in turn informed Newell. The proprietor of the eatery continued by falsely charging the newspaper with illegal information gathering. Soon after, the police arrived with a search warrant at the Record’s workplace and Newell’s residence. The search warrant lists two pages’ worth of items that law enforcement officials are permitted to seize, according to The Reflector, including computer software and hardware, digital communications, cellular networks, servers and hard drives, items with passwords, utility records, and all documents and records relating to Newell. The search warrant focused primarily on anyone with access to computers that may be used to help Kari Newell steal her identity.
Legal notices and advertisements that were expected to appear in the newspaper’s next week’s issue were found on the machines that were seized. Meyer remarked that he is unsure of their course of action. They’ll release a publication.
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