Police raid Kansas newspaper

“because we can” and “they won’t sue us” is the mindset of Tiny White Town assholes who do things like this to intimidate and be vindictive.

Hopeful for an investigation and positive outcome of convictions and such, but I’ll bet these cops and judge skate.

 

The federal Privacy Protection Act has specific provisions that both prohibit these kinds of seizures on newsrooms (with a few very narrow exceptions) and create liability for agencies that conduct them. They're pretty rare because most law enforcement agencies aren't that stupid, or someone in the process (agency attorney, prosecutor, judge) stops it.

I think it'll be hard to show causation between the raid and the publisher's death. There are a bunch of potentially intervening factors, but because the other piece (the illegal raid) appears cut and dry, I imagine her death would be a major escalating factor in the eyes of a jury deciding damages.

 

America is wearing me right the fuck out.

 

dude …

 

Pardon?

 

It will probably turn out that the reported found a legal workaround after the police illegally buried the information about the restaurant owner.

 

What a shock ...

https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08...ty-newspaper-raid-media-is-not-above-the-law/

 

Was Cecil Price not available for comment?

 

Why do you go for the trap?

Because that's where the cheese is.

 

An updated story, with a bit more information, on the raid:

MSN

A couple of things I still don't get, even though I've read of them in previous stories:

How can anyone have any question that this raid was without cause? Federal and constitutional laws support the journalists and should make clear that it was illegal and unnecessary in this case.

And why did Eric Meyer report the fact that the paper had gotten tipped off to Newell's DUI to the police and sheriff's departments? I don't understand that at all, particularly considering that the source was confidential. Wasn't it enough that Meyer made his own decision not to run the story because of his own concerns surrounding the source?

Oh, and how can Kari Newell keep acting like she's the one who was wronged by anyone finding out, or reporting, any information on her, if the Marion County Record had actually done that (which it didn't). Now, it looks like she holds a councilwoman, as well as the newspaper, responsible for the release/spread of information about her. In the process, she completely ignores the fact of her committing the DUI (the thing she didn't want out there because, it seems, she was trying to keep it under wraps so she could get a liquor license).

Well, the fact that it's illegal to give a liquor license to someone with a DUI, and the fact that Newell has one but apparently is trying to get a liquor license anyway, really shouldn't be anyone else's problem, or fault.

 

Seems to me like the sudden shock and stress of a raid like that would dangerously traumatize almost anyone, and then the cops confiscated her computers, and with it her access to legit daily sources of online health and support systems, and all of that with no regard that she's 98 fuckin' years old?

I'm not an attorney, so I defer, but that is some serious Nazi stormtrooper bullshit. Does the family really not have solid avenues of recourse?

 

Based on a couple of stories I've read, I get the impression the sourced info was somehow hinky enough that Meyer believed he had to report it to the law enforcement folks. Maybe something along the lines of "where did you get this" and the reply is "well, you have it and that's enough" or something akin to that.

Do you still check out the info? Of course, while also checking with legal and discussing it internally about the source, ramifications, etc.

Newell's actions are IMO what triggered all this, blowing up at the council meeting with accusations and getting her Redneck Justice League toadies to hop into action. The paper already had the police chief under scrutiny and probably riled up about his prior job and sexual misconduct allegations. She blew the lid off everything.

That's what gets me, too. These people - the magistrate and police - know this kind of thing is illegal. They simply shrug, with the attitude of "Eh, sort it out later. They can't do anything to us anyway."

What's going to happen? They all get fired? They'll still draw a pension or just get another job somewhere else. Sued? They'll claim immunity and be shielded personally. Meyer said being a small town, he knows the officers and "they were just doing their job" despite him telling them they were making a mistake (at his home). If the city or county is sued, either will pay a settlement and do the "we've taken steps" routine that no one believes.

Newell sounds like a typical Kountry Karen trying to queen bee everyone around her. She sounds like a peach, too.

Meyer said scads of people have subscribed to the newspaper, and the paper doesn't need money despite people wanting to donate.

A conversation with the newspaper owner raided by cops