Kansas police chief resigns after raid on local newspaper drew First Amendment concerns
'It's long overdue,' the newspaper's editor and publisher said of the resignation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A Kansas police chief has resigned after he sparked First Amendment concerns following a raid against a local newspaper.
Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody led the Marion County Record raid on Aug. 11. Cody alleged that a reporter for the Record lied about her intentions and impersonated someone else when gathering driving records for local restaurant owner Kari Newell.
The raid included a search of the Record's office as well as the home of its owners. Marion County Record co-owner Joan Meyer died a day after local police searched her home.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cody's resignation comes days after he was suspended from his post. The reasons for the suspension were not made available to the public.
KANSAS PROSECUTOR WITHDRAWS SEARCH WARRANTS USED IN CONTROVERSIAL NEWSPAPER RAID AFTER OWNER'S DEATH
Marion County Sheriff's Office entrance. (Google Earth )
Marion County Mayor Dave Mayfield has told the Associated Press that Cody's resignation was a "personal matter" and did not elaborate further.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Following the news, the Marion City Council voted on Monday to name Zach Hudlin, the police department's senior patrol officer, as the new acting police chief.
Newell previously argued that the paper violated her privacy and committed a crime by gathering the information about her. Still, the Record insisted they had obtained the information within the bounds of the law following a tip. They also used online records to corroborate details.
A prosecutor in the county later said there was insufficient evidence to justify authorization of the raid and withdrew the search warrant for the business.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}THE POLICE CHIEF WHO LED A RAID OF A SMALL KANSAS NEWSPAPER HAS BEEN SUSPENDED
Marion County Record newspaper (AP)
The raid initially sparked concern about the freedom of the press after newspaper employees were hindered from doing their jobs and were forced to work overnight to print the next day's edition.
The raid even drew the attention of the White House, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggesting that the move by police raises "a lot of concerns and a lot of questions."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the raid, authorities took the newspaper's computers and a router, as well as the personal cell phones of employees.
Marion County Record building (Google Maps)
All the seized items were eventually returned to the newspaper.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You cannot let bullies win," the paper's editor and publisher, Eric Meyer, said following the incident. "We have a staff that's very experienced, including myself, and we're not going to take crap."
On Tuesday, Meyer said the resignation of Cody was "long overdue."
Meyer also claimed the raid was carried out because the newspaper was investigating why the police chief left his previous post as an officer in Kansas City, Missouri.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He said he suspected this when police seized a computer tower and cellphone belonging to a reporter who wasn't part of the effort to investigate Newell's background but instead was looking into Cody's background.
The Marion Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Andrea Vacchiano and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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