Seized Materials From Marion County Newspaper Should Be Returned Due To Insufficient Evidence, Kansas Prosecutor Say

The prosecutor of Marion County, Kansas has called for the immediate return of all seized materials from Marion County Newspaper taken during a controversial police raid on a local newspaper.

A Kansas prosecutor has taken the step to propose a court order that would lead to the release of the seized materials from Marion County Newspaper. (Photo: K News Radio)

Seized Materials from Marion County Newspaper Should Be Returned

Marion County Attorney Joel Ensey affirmed on Wednesday that his assessment of the seized materials from Marion County Newspaper revealed a lack of substantial evidence to substantiate a legally valid connection between the alleged crime and the locations searched, as well as the items seized.

Ensey has taken the step to propose a court order that would lead to the release of the seized materials from Marion County Newspaper.

He also emphasized the necessity for local law enforcement to promptly return the seized materials from Marion County Newspaper to the newspaper’s proprietors.

READ ALSO: Kansas Newsroom Raid Deemed Unconstitutional by Several Press Freedom Advocates 

Seized Materials from Marion County Newspaper

Despite the police raid confiscating computers, cellphones, and office equipment, the determined efforts of the newspaper’s dedicated staff ensured the publication of a new edition on Wednesday. The front-page headline boldly declared, “SEIZED … but not silenced,” encapsulating the defiant spirit of the publication.

The police raids, conducted last Friday at the newspaper’s premises and the residence of editor and publisher Eric Meyer, thrust the newspaper and local law enforcement into the center of a national dialogue about the vital freedom of the press.

The consequences of the raids created significant challenges for Meyer and his team. With computers seized, they were compelled to reconstruct stories, advertisements, and other content due to seized materials from Marion County Newspaper not yet returned.

As the newspaper staff worked tirelessly on the new edition, the environment within the office was chaotic. Limited resources forced them to rely on a couple of older computers that had not been confiscated by the police.

While the newspaper was investigating Newell’s claims, it opted not to publish any story on the matter. Surprisingly, during the raid, the seized materials from Marion County Newspaper included a computer tower and cellphone belonging to a reporter who had no involvement in the Newell investigation.

READ ALSO: Kansas Newspaper’s Lawyer Requests Police to Wait for Hearing Before Reviewing Seized Data