Kansas newspaper raided by police strikes back in first print edition since search

MARION, Kansas — Even with out the computer systems, cellphones and different workplace gear taken in a police raid, the brand new version of the Marion County File made it to newsstands Wednesday after a frenzied scramble by the Kansas weekly newspaper’s small workers.

“SEIZED … however not silenced,” learn the front-page headline in 2-inch-tall typeface.

Police raids on Friday of the newspaper’s places of work, and the house of editor and writer Eric Meyer put the paper and the native police on the heart of a nationwide debate about press freedom, with watchdog teams condemning the police actions. The eye continued Wednesday — with TV and print reporters becoming a member of the dialog in what is generally a quiet neighborhood of about 1,900 residents.

The raids — which the writer believes have been carried out as a result of the newspaper was investigating the police chief’s background — put Meyer and his workers in a troublesome place. As a result of they’re computer systems have been seized, they have been compelled to reconstruct tales, advertisements and different supplies. Meyer additionally blamed stress from the raid at his residence on the dying Saturday of his 98-year-old mom, Joan, the paper’s co-owner.

Because the newspaper workers labored late into Tuesday night time on the brand new version, the workplace was so hectic that Kansas Press Affiliation Govt Director Emily Bradbury was without delay answering telephones and ordering in meals for staffers.

Bradbury mentioned the journalists and people concerned within the enterprise of the newspaper used a few previous computer systems that police didn’t confiscate, taking turns to get tales to the printer, to assemble advertisements and to verify e mail. With electronics scarce, staffers made do with what that they had.

“There have been actually index playing cards going forwards and backwards,” mentioned Bernie Rhodes, the newspaper’s lawyer, who was additionally within the workplace. “They’d all of the categorised advertisements, all of the authorized notices that they needed to recreate. All of these have been on the computer systems.”

At one level, a pair visiting from Arizona stopped on the entrance desk to purchase a subscription, simply to point out their assist, Bradbury mentioned. Many others from across the nation have bought subscriptions because the raids; An workplace supervisor advised Bradbury that she’s having a tough time maintaining with demand.

The raids uncovered a divide over native politics and the way the File covers Marion, which sits about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas Metropolis.

A warrant signed by a Justice of the Peace Friday about two hours earlier than the raid mentioned that native police sought to assemble proof of potential identity theft and different laptop crimes stemming from a battle between the newspaper and an area restaurant proprietor, Kari Newell.

Newell accused the newspaper of violating her privateness and illegally acquiring private details about her because it checked her state driving file on-line. Meyer mentioned the newspaper was trying right into a tip — and in the end determined to not write a narrative about Newell.

Nonetheless, Meyer mentioned police seized a pc tower and cellphone belonging to a reporter who wasn’t a part of the hassle to verify on the enterprise proprietor’s background.

Rhodes mentioned the newspaper was investigating the circumstances round Police Chief Gideon Cody’s departure from his earlier job as an officer in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. Cody left the Kansas Metropolis division earlier this yr and started the job in Marion in June. He has not responded to interview requests.

Requested if the newspaper’s investigation of Cody might have had something to do with the choice to raid it, Rhodes responded: “I believe it’s a outstanding coincidence if it didn’t.”

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Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri.

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